In 1939, while he was performing his military service in the Navy, he took part in several matches in the team of the Navy, played on the field of basins, putting on a good display, despite weighing 90 kg. He was noted by some observers of Venezia, who after various stresses succeeded in getting him to tryout; according to another source, a naval officer who was a fan of Venezia, admired the skill of Valentino and offered him to the "Lagunari". At the trial, which he showed up and played barefoot, having left his boots intentionally at home not to ruin them. He convinced everyone, especially the manager Giuseppe Girani to purchase him. After a few months in the reserve team, which participated in its own championship, he was hired on 1 January 1940 for 50,000 lire. He made his debut in Serie A on 31 March 1940, in a 1–0 defeat away to Lazio, entering as a substitute for the center forward Francesco Pernigo, and kept his place in the starting lineup on his own merits. He played in all five of the remaining league games, often in the middle of the attack, creating a goal on the penultimate day against Bari, guaranteeing Venezia mathematical safety from relegation. In a Coppa Italia round of 16 defeat against Modena that ended 3–1, he would also score his team's only goal.