The mood at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had conceded a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or had there never been a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, but then he publicly stated that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Reports that he could resign were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio became as messy on the pitch as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to ascertain if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Return
One individual continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He completed the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The signing restriction forced a rethink. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He joined initially under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
