The feeling at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had conceded 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or had there never been any cohesion maintaining its structure from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the board had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Speculation that he could resign were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to determine if progress is being made or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Comeback
At least one man remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this season. He spent the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, Lazio were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad with no new signings.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to identify the exact type of the player's talent. Originally described as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
