Upon returning to Serie A after a 12-year absence, the Venezia squad was strengthened, with the arrival of players including Luigi Busidoni, Silvio Di Gennaro, Sergio Stefanini, and, most importantly, Valentino Mazzola. Mazzola was in Venice for military service, and after having showcased himself playing with military representatives in Campo dei Bacini, Venezia took him on trial and then bought him from Serie C club Alfa Romeo Milano. In the 1939–40 Serie A season, Venezia finished 10th in the table — highlighted by a win over eventual champions Ambrosiana Inter in Venice — and took a step towards the two most successful seasons in the club's history.