ShareMarcus Thuram is in fine form for Scudetto holders Inter, but Cristian Chivu does not believe his own coaching has made the difference.Cristian Chivu has refused to take personal credit for Marcus Thuram's "devastating" recent form, saying the forward has shown extra motivation since he was omitted from the France squad.Thuram scored a 91st-minute equaliser as Inter fought back to beat Fiorentina 2-1 in Serie A on Sunday, with Piotr Zielinski's penalty eight minutes into stoppage time proving decisive.He has now scored five times in Serie A this campaign, with each of those goals coming in his last six appearances.Since the start of September, he has only failed to find the net in a 2-2 draw with Roma. Thuram's form has helped Inter gain 22 points from their first eight games of the campaign. Should they beat Venezia on Wednesday, they will set a new club record for their best start through nine matchdays in the three-points-for-a-win era (since 1994-95), with 25.And Chivu quipped that being left out of Zinedine Zidane's first France squad had done as much for Thuram's form as his own coaching. "I don't know if it's my merit or Zidane's. Without Lautaro Martinez, he took on the responsibility," Chivu said as he reflected on Sunday's fightback against Fiorentina. "I was with him for three weeks and he had a rest, which is why I said I don't know if it's my merit or Zidane's. "He would even sprint in the 90th minute, entering the penalty area with devastating ferocity. When he attacks you with that speed, there's a risk that something will happen. "We're happy; we gave him a day off. Not being called up gave him extra motivation."While Inter are battling at the summit, Venezia are bottom of the pile with just three points on the board, achieving one win and losing their other seven matches in 2026-27.PLAYERS TO WATCHVenezia – Filip StankovicOnly Marco Carnesecchi (37) has made more saves than Stankovic (36) among goalkeepers in Serie A this season. More specifically, Stankovic has made the most saves from opposition shots attempted from inside the box (26).Inter – Marcus ThuramThuram has been involved in a goal in each of his last six Serie A appearances (five goals and two assists in this period). The Frenchman could be involved in a goal in seven straight games for the first time in his career in Europe's big five leagues (also six in a row between last April and May).MATCH PREDICTION: INTER WINInter have remained unbeaten in 47 of their last 48 Serie A matches against newly promoted sides (W40 D7), winning their last eight such games in a row. The Nerazzurri's only such defeat in this period was on April 15, 2023 against Monza (0-1).Inter have also won their last four Serie A matches against Venezia and have only once recorded five consecutive top-flight victories against them, doing so between November 1962 and January 1999.Their last four away Serie A games against promoted teams, meanwhile, have all been victories to nil – by an aggregate score of 11-0.Inter are clear favourites with the Opta supercomputer, though things have not always been smooth for Chivu's men this campaign.Inter have gained 13 points from losing positions in Serie A this season, at least five more than any other side in one of Europe's top five leagues and the most by any team in the first eight matchdays of a Serie A season in the last 20 years.OPTA WIN PROBABILITYVenezia – 15%Inter – 66.3%Draw – 18.7%Marcus Thuram is in fine form for Scudetto holders Inter, but Cristian Chivu does not believe his own coaching has made the difference.Cristian Chivu has refused to take personal credit for Marcus Thuram's "devastating" recent form, saying the forward has shown extra motivation since he was omitted from the France squad.Thuram scored a 91st-minute equaliser as Inter fought back to beat Fiorentina 2-1 in Serie A on Sunday, with Piotr Zielinski's penalty eight minutes into stoppage time proving decisive.He has now scored five times in Serie A this campaign, with each of those goals coming in his last six appearances.Since the start of September, he has only failed to find the net in a 2-2 draw with Roma. Thuram's form has helped Inter gain 22 points from their first eight games of the campaign. Should they beat Venezia on Wednesday, they will set a new club record for their best start through nine matchdays in the three-points-for-a-win era (since 1994-95), with 25.And Chivu quipped that being left out of Zinedine Zidane's first France squad had done as much for Thuram's form as his own coaching. "I don't know if it's my merit or Zidane's. Without Lautaro Martinez, he took on the responsibility," Chivu said as he reflected on Sunday's fightback against Fiorentina. "I was with him for three weeks and he had a rest, which is why I said I don't know if it's my merit or Zidane's. "He would even sprint in the 90th minute, entering the penalty area with devastating ferocity. When he attacks you with that speed, there's a risk that something will happen. "We're happy; we gave him a day off. Not being called up gave him extra motivation."While Inter are battling at the summit, Venezia are bottom of the pile with just three points on the board, achieving one win and losing their other seven matches in 2026-27.PLAYERS TO WATCHVenezia – Filip StankovicOnly Marco Carnesecchi (37) has made more saves than Stankovic (36) among goalkeepers in Serie A this season. More specifically, Stankovic has made the most saves from opposition shots attempted from inside the box (26).Inter – Marcus ThuramThuram has been involved in a goal in each of his last six Serie A appearances (five goals and two assists in this period). The Frenchman could be involved in a goal in seven straight games for the first time in his career in Europe's big five leagues (also six in a row between last April and May).MATCH PREDICTION: INTER WINInter have remained unbeaten in 47 of their last 48 Serie A matches against newly promoted sides (W40 D7), winning their last eight such games in a row. The Nerazzurri's only such defeat in this period was on April 15, 2023 against Monza (0-1).Inter have also won their last four Serie A matches against Venezia and have only once recorded five consecutive top-flight victories against them, doing so between November 1962 and January 1999.Their last four away Serie A games against promoted teams, meanwhile, have all been victories to nil – by an aggregate score of 11-0.Inter are clear favourites with the Opta supercomputer, though things have not always been smooth for Chivu's men this campaign.Inter have gained 13 points from losing positions in Serie A this season, at least five more than any other side in one of Europe's top five leagues and the most by any team in the first eight matchdays of a Serie A season in the last 20 years.OPTA WIN PROBABILITYVenezia – 15%Inter – 66.3%Draw – 18.7%