CLUB SNAPSHOT: At a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Club | Venezia FC |
| League | Serie A |
| Manager | Giovanni Stroppa (until November), Davide Nicola |
| Stadium | Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo |
| Nickname | Arancioneroverdi |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Defensive Leader | Armel Bella Kotchap (injured) |
| Key Signing | Redouane Halhal (from Mechelen) |
| Emergency Arrival | Juan Jesus (free agent) |
| Current League Position | 20th (3 points from 9 matches) |
The Defining Moment
Venezia’s defensive department entered 2026/27 with a mixture of ambition and fragility. The club had secured promotion to Serie A on the back of a resilient campaign, and the summer’s recruitment focused on adding quality to a back line that would face a significant step up in class. Redouane Halhal arrived from KV Mechelen on a four-year deal, a Moroccan international fresh from starting two World Cup matches against Canada and Haiti, described by the club as a defender with “a strong and determined mentality” who enjoys “building play from the back.” Armel Bella Kotchap, the German centre-back, was expected to be the anchor.
The defining moment of the season came not on the pitch, but in the treatment room. Bella Kotchap was already sidelined when, in early September, Bartol Franjić underwent surgery on his collarbone and was ruled out for approximately three months. The defensive crisis that followed forced Venezia into the emergency market, signing free agent Juan Jesus — a veteran of Roma, Inter, and Napoli — to plug the gaps.
The results have been catastrophic. Venezia sit 20th in Serie A with three points from nine matches, having conceded 19 goals — a rate of 2.11 per game that is the worst in the division. The back line that was meant to provide the foundation for survival has instead become the primary cause of a season already spiralling toward relegation.
This is the story of Venezia’s 2026/27 defenders: a World Cup signing learning the harsh realities of Serie A, a German centre-back whose body has betrayed him, and a collection of full-backs and emergency arrivals trying to hold together a defence in freefall.
Tactical Context
Venezia’s defensive structure has been a study in dysfunction. Giovanni Stroppa’s initial 3-5-2 was designed to provide numerical solidity at the back, with three centre-backs supported by wing-backs. The theory was sound: a newly promoted side needs a foundation of defensive security before it can compete. The reality was different.
The numbers reveal the scale of the failure. Nineteen goals conceded in nine matches, with a goal difference of -13, reflects a defence that has been repeatedly overrun. The 3-5-2 has often looked like a 5-3-2 in practice, with the wing-backs pinned deep and the centre-backs exposed to relentless pressure. Against Milan at San Siro, Venezia conceded twice and offered little resistance.
The injury crisis has compounded the tactical problems. Bella Kotchap’s absence removed the defence’s most physically imposing presence. Franjić’s surgery stripped away a reliable option. Marin Sverko, another defensive option, was managing hip problems that kept him out until early November. Stroppa was forced to improvise, deploying midfielders in defensive roles and rushing new arrivals into a struggling unit.
The arrival of Juan Jesus provided experience, but at 35, the Brazilian is a short-term fix rather than a solution. Pasquale Mazzocchi, signed on loan from Napoli, offered Serie A know-how and a connection to the club — he had previously helped Venezia achieve promotion in 2021. But individual arrivals cannot compensate for a collective structure that is fundamentally broken.
The Defenders
Redouane Halhal
Halhal is the summer’s marquee defensive signing, a 23-year-old Moroccan international who arrived from KV Mechelen with a reputation for composure and ball-playing ability. His World Cup experience — starting against Canada and Haiti — suggested a player capable of handling the highest level. His profile is that of the modern centre-back: comfortable in possession, willing to carry the ball forward, and physically capable of competing in duels.
His adaptation to Serie A has been brutal. Thrust into a defence that is conceding goals at an alarming rate, Halhal has experienced the full force of the step up from the Belgian league. The errors that were forgivable in Mechelen are punished ruthlessly in Italy. At 23, he has time to develop, but the environment around him is not conducive to growth.
Armel Bella Kotchap
Bella Kotchap is the great absence of Venezia’s season. The German centre-back, who arrived with a reputation forged in the Bundesliga, was expected to be the defensive anchor. His physicality, his aerial dominance, and his experience at the highest level were meant to provide the foundation upon which Venezia’s survival would be built.
Instead, injury has defined his campaign. By September, he was already sidelined, and his return date remained uncertain. His absence has been felt in every match Venezia have played. Without him, the defence lacks a leader, an organiser, and a physical presence capable of handling Serie A’s strikers.
Bartol Franjić
Franjić is the other major absence, a Croatian defender whose season was interrupted by collarbone surgery in September. The three-month prognosis removed a reliable rotation option from a department that could ill afford to lose one. His return, expected sometime in December, cannot come soon enough for a defence that has been stretched to breaking point.
Juan Jesus
Juan Jesus is the emergency solution, a 35-year-old Brazilian who arrived as a free agent after Franjić’s injury. His career — Roma, Inter, Napoli — speaks of experience at the highest level, and his familiarity with Serie A’s rhythms made him a pragmatic choice for a club in crisis.
His profile is that of the veteran organiser: positionally intelligent, composed under pressure, but physically diminished by age. At 35, he cannot be expected to cover the ground that Venezia’s defensive structure demands, nor to handle the pace of Serie A’s younger forwards. He is a stopgap, not a solution.
Pasquale Mazzocchi
Mazzocchi is the returning son, a 31-year-old full-back who previously represented Venezia between 2020 and 2022 and helped the club achieve promotion. His loan from Napoli, with an option to buy, brought Serie A experience and a genuine connection to the club’s recent history.
His profile is that of the modern full-back: capable of providing width in attack and defensive solidity out of possession. In a defence that has leaked goals relentlessly, his experience has been valuable, even if the collective structure has undermined his individual efforts.
Thierry Correia, Ridgeciano Haps, and the Supporting Cast
Correia, the Portuguese right-back, and Haps, the Surinamese left-back, have provided width and energy on the flanks, though their defensive positioning has been exposed by the chaos around them. Joel Schingtienne, Richie Sagrado, and Ahmed Sidibe have offered rotation options, but none has established himself as a reliable starter. The academy graduates and emergency signings have provided depth without stability.
The Numbers Game
Table A: Venezia Defender Serie A Statistics (2026/27)
| Player | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Redouane Halhal | Centre-Back | Summer signing; World Cup experience |
| Armel Bella Kotchap | Centre-Back | Injured; expected anchor |
| Bartol Franjić | Defender | Out until December (collarbone) |
| Juan Jesus | Centre-Back | Emergency free agent signing |
| Pasquale Mazzocchi | Full-Back | Loan from Napoli; returning player |
| Thierry Correia | Right-Back | Width and energy |
| Ridgeciano Haps | Left-Back | Defensive exposure |
Table B: Venezia Defence – Key Metrics (2026/27)
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Conceded per Game | 2.11 | 19 in 9 Serie A matches |
| Goal Difference | -13 | Worst in Serie A |
| Record | 1W-0D-8L | 20th in Serie A |
| Points | 3 | From 9 matches |
| Clean Sheets | 0 | In Serie A |
Table C: Defender Career Context & Pedigree
| Player | Nationality | Previous Clubs | Style Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redouane Halhal | Morocco | KV Mechelen, Atlético Madrid Academy | Ball-playing centre-back, composed, developing |
| Armel Bella Kotchap | Germany | Southampton, Bochum | Physical, aerial, leader |
| Bartol Franjić | Croatia | Dinamo Zagreb | Reliable rotation option |
| Juan Jesus | Brazil | Napoli, Inter, Roma | Veteran organiser, positionally intelligent |
| Pasquale Mazzocchi | Italy | Napoli, Salernitana | Attacking full-back, Serie A experience |
Tactical Identity & Squad Balance
Venezia’s defensive unit is a study in collapse. The department was constructed with a mixture of youth and experience: Halhal’s potential, Bella Kotchap’s physicality, Franjić’s reliability, and the full-backs’ energy. The injuries to Bella Kotchap and Franjić stripped away the core, leaving a collection of stopgaps and developing players exposed to the full force of Serie A.
The numbers are not merely bad; they are historically bad. Nineteen goals conceded in nine matches, zero clean sheets, and a goal difference of -13 reflect a team that cannot defend at the level required to survive. The 3-5-2 that Stroppa employed was designed to provide security, but in practice it has offered none. The wing-backs are pinned deep, the centre-backs are overrun, and the midfield offers insufficient protection.
The depth is illusory. Juan Jesus was signed as an emergency measure, not a long-term solution. Mazzocchi’s arrival provided experience, but he cannot cover the deficiencies of an entire unit. The supporting cast — Correia, Haps, Schingtienne, Sagrado — are honest professionals, but they are not of the quality required to anchor a Serie A defence.
The January window is unlikely to bring salvation. Venezia’s resources are limited, and the club’s position at the bottom of the table makes recruitment difficult. The priority is to survive until the injured players return, and to hope that Davide Nicola, the new coach, can organise a defence that has shown no sign of organisation under his predecessor.
The Verdict from the Camp
Redouane Halhal, on joining Venezia:
“Sporting Director Antonelli presented me with an ambitious project that convinced me from the very beginning. Joining Venezia is a fantastic opportunity, and one that I embraced with great enthusiasm… I see myself as a defender with a strong and determined mentality. I enjoy building play from the back, carrying the ball forward when space opens up, and putting my teammates in the best possible positions to create danger.”
Pasquale Mazzocchi, on returning to Venezia:
“I’m really happy to be back here because I left a piece of my heart in this beautiful city. I felt truly loved in Venice, I made so many friends here, and that was also one of the reasons why I chose to come back… I can promise our fans one thing: we will always give everything, in every game and in every moment.”
OneFootball, on the defensive crisis:
“It never rains but it pours at Venezia. With Armel Bella-Kotchap already sidelined, Giovanni Stroppa also loses Bartol Franjic for a long period… Now the lagoon club will have to decide how to proceed to plug the holes.”
Where Next?
Venezia’s defensive priority is existential. They need Bella Kotchap and Franjić to return, and they need Nicola to organise a unit that has shown no sign of cohesion. The 3-5-2 must become a structure that protects the centre-backs rather than exposing them, and the full-backs must learn to balance attacking ambition with defensive discipline.
The development of Halhal is the secondary subplot. At 23, he has the potential to become a reliable Serie A defender, but the current environment is not conducive to growth. If he can survive the season with his confidence intact, he may emerge as a stronger player. If not, the experience could set him back years.
The January window offers little hope. Venezia’s position at the bottom of the table makes recruitment difficult, and the club’s resources are limited. The return of injured players is the most realistic solution, but that return cannot come soon enough for a defence that is conceding goals at a rate that guarantees relegation.
For now, Venezia’s defenders are a unit defined by absence and exposure. Bella Kotchap watches from the treatment room, Halhal learns in the harshest of classrooms, and Juan Jesus provides experience that cannot compensate for the structural failures around him. The question is whether the defence can be rebuilt before the season is lost. The early evidence suggests it may already be too late.
