Nicola is expected to take charge of a team rooted to the bottom of the table with zero points.
The club confirmed Stroppa’s departure on 13 October, one day after a 3-1 loss away to Atalanta. His side had struggled to make an impact in the opening weeks of the season, despite having secured promotion from Serie B under his leadership during the previous campaign.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Venezia FC are close to finalising a deal with Nicola. The proposed arrangement would run until the end of the current season, on 30 June 2027, with an option to extend the contract for another year.
Nicola’s appeal lies in his record of taking over teams in serious trouble and guiding them to safety. His career has repeatedly involved difficult mid-season assignments, making the Venezia vacancy a familiar challenge.
His most celebrated escape came with Crotone in 2016-17. After 29 matches, the club had collected only 14 points and sat eight points from safety. Crotone then earned 20 points from their final nine games, finished with 34 points and secured survival on the last day.
Nicola repeated the feat at Genoa in 2019-20. He arrived with the team bottom of the table on 11 points after 17 matches and guided them to 39 points by the end of the season. The following campaign, he took over Torino while they were in the relegation places and kept them up with a game to spare.
His work at Salernitana in 2021-22 provides another example. Appointed in February with the team on 13 points after 23 matches and eight points from safety, he helped them reach 31 points and remain in Serie A, finishing above Cagliari.
Nicola later produced another escape with Empoli in 2023-24. The Tuscan club had 13 points after 20 games and were five points from safety when he took charge. They finished on 36 points, with M’Bala Nzola scoring in stoppage time against Roma on the final day to secure survival.
Venezia now need a similarly rapid turnaround. Their next challenge is to halt a losing run that has left them with little margin for error, and Nicola’s experience of managing under pressure is central to the club’s interest. The appointment had not yet been officially confirmed in the reports available at the time of writing.