Venezia makes waves with American imports to Italian league
By KEN MAGUIRE
AP Sports Writer
VENICE, Italy (AP) — Italian soccer team Venezia is back in the top division for the first time since 2002. And it has tapped Major League Soccer to recruit young Americans in its bid to stay afloat in Serie A. Nineteen-year-old Gianluca Busio arrived in Venice from Sporting Kansas City and 20-year-old Tanner Tessmann from FC Dallas. Along with Weston McKennie at Juventus and Bryan Reynolds at Roma, Serie A has never had this many United States internationals in the same season. The playmaking midfielder Busio is a starter for Venezia and idolizes Italian great Andrea Pirlo. Alabama native Tessmann had an offer to kick field goals for Clemson but chose soccer instead.