Two points cover Serie A's bottom six as Genoa host Venezia

Two points separate the bottom six of Serie A going into matchday 8. Bologna are 15th on 5 points, Udinese, Genoa, Fiorentina and Parma all have 4, and Venezia are last on 3. Only goal difference keeps Genoa (-8) in 17th, out of the relegation places, ahead of Fiorentina (-9) and Parma (-9).

Genoa v Venezia

The one direct meeting comes on Sunday at the Ferraris, where Daniele De Rossi's Genoa have lost five of their seven league games; their one win came at home against Fiorentina. Venezia arrive from a 1-0 win over Napoli, their first of the season, in the first game of Davide Nicola, who took over on 14 October on a deal to 2028. No Serie A side on zero points after six matchdays had ever stayed up, which is the hole Nicola inherited.

The history favours Genoa: according to Eurosport, they are unbeaten in nine home Serie A meetings with Venezia (eight wins, one draw) and kept a clean sheet in the last four. Venezia have not won any of their last 29 Serie A away games (10 draws, 19 defeats). Genoa, though, have conceded in each of their last nine home league games.

Udinese: Milan, Parma and Roma in six days

Udinese kept Kosta Runjaic after a 3-0 home defeat to Lecce, their fifth league loss in a row, and took the squad into a training retreat before Sunday evening's visit of Milan. ANSA reports that the coach's future rides on a six-day run of Milan, Parma away and Roma at home. "I am responsible for these five consecutive defeats," Runjaic said after the Lecce game. "Today there are no excuses." He added that the fans have been waiting for a home win since 2 May. Playmaker Zaniolo is fit again and expected to start on the bench; Alaba, Bayo and Gueye are out.

Fiorentina and Parma on the road

Fiorentina visit leaders Inter, who have scored 21 goals in seven games, with the league's worst defence: 17 conceded. The 3-1 home defeat to Como included an equaliser by Croatian defender Pongracic ruled out for offside after a VAR check of almost four minutes. "What bothers me about this group is that after a negative episode the team switches off for five or six minutes," coach Paolo Vanoli said.

Parma's problem is at the other end. ANSA notes that Alberto Gilardino's side have the worst attack in Europe's top five leagues, four goals in seven games, and have lost their last two without scoring. Their next stop is Lazio, level with Inter on 19 points at the top.

Bologna in Sardinia

Bologna, the only club in the group with five points, travel to Cagliari on Saturday. Coach Raffaele Palladino is without Riccardo Orsolini and Roberto Piccoli, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, and his side have conceded 10 goals in seven games. Cagliari sit seventh on 13 points.