Venezia is set to return to Italy’s Serie A next season following a 2-2 draw against Spezia on Friday, which secured their promotion with one match remaining in the season.
This will also mark a return to Italy’s top division for United States international Gianluca Busio, who played the full 90 minutes in the match, marking his 36th start in 37 league games this season.
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Despite relinquishing a 2-0 lead late in the match, Venezia currently tops Serie B by a point over Frosinone, while holding a critical four-point cushion over Monza as the final fixtures approach. Frosinone can also secure promotion with a win or draw against Mantova in their upcoming match next Friday.
Automatic promotion is granted to the top two teams, with the third spot determined through playoffs.
This marks an immediate return to Serie A for Venezia after their relegation following just one campaign in the top tier last season.
“We take immense pride in this promotion: we’ve done so many things the right way,” said Venezia captain Michael Svoboda. “We felt we had something special since preseason, and we’ve now fulfilled that dream. Our incredible staff always prepared us optimally, reflected in our performance throughout the season.”
“We let our 2-0 lead slip due to being unprepared for second balls and struggling in duels. Although we weren’t aware of the other matches’ outcomes, I sensed our goal was within reach when the fans started singing. Having such dedicated supporters is truly special—they cheered us on in every match and propelled us toward this promotion.”
“Now I want to enjoy the celebration, but our aim is to finish the season first and win the league—that’s the focus before we celebrate.”
Busio joined Venezia from MLS side Sporting Kansas City in 2021 when he was just 19 years old. That same year, he earned his first cap for the U.S. men’s national team and has since accumulated 17 appearances, scoring once.
His most recent appearance for the U.S. was against Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League in November 2024.
On the same day, two of the three teams set to be relegated from Serie A were confirmed. Pisa fell to a 2-1 loss against Lecce, sealing their return to the second division after being promoted from Serie B last year, following a dismal Serie A season with only two victories in 35 matches.
This result also confirmed relegation for second-from-last Verona, which has 19 points, just one point above Pisa, but unable to surpass Lecce, who sit fourth-to-last with 32 points.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.