Venezia secure Serie A promotion; Franjić injury sidelines Wolfsburg loanee

Venezia have confirmed their return to Italy's Serie A after defeating Palermo 2-0 on Friday to finish top of Serie B. The victory secured the promotion spot for the Venetian club, marking a significant step in their campaign to re-establish themselves in the nation's premier football division.

Defender Bartol Franjić was part of the squad that achieved this milestone, having joined the club on loan from VfL Wolfsburg earlier this season. Despite his involvement in the title-winning campaign, the 26-year-old Croatian was substituted in the first half of the match after sustaining an injury on the field.

Franjić's tenure at Wolfsburg has been defined by a series of loan moves following his move from Dinamo Zagreb in 2022 for a reported €7.5 million. After struggling with injuries in his first season and making only three starts, he was loaned to SV Darmstadt for the 2023–24 campaign. Darmstadt played 20 times with him in the squad before being relegated to the 2. Bundesliga.

His subsequent loan to Shakhtar Donetsk last season ended with a return to Dinamo Zagreb before he was transferred to Venezia for the current campaign. Although he has faced injury struggles in Italy, Franjić made 15 starts for the club, contributing to their first-place finish and promotion to the top flight.

The loan agreement between Franjić and VfL Wolfsburg contains provisions that may see the deal become permanent if specific conditions are met. However, the precise details of these conditions have not been disclosed, leaving the defender's long-term future at the German club currently in flux.

The promotion of Venezia also highlights the broader trend of Wolfsburg managing player development through loan spells. John Yeboah, a former academy graduate who left the club permanently in 2020, is also part of the promoted squad. Conversely, fellow loanee Nicolas Cozza was relegated to Ligue 2 with FC Nantes on the same day as Venezia's success.