The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist a thread keeping it intact from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him admitted that the club had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Presence
One individual kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He joined in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in 2022-23, almost all of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to identify the exact type of the player's talent. Billed as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
