The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had let in a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been a thread maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, but then he admitted that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that he could resign were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club became as messy during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it has been hard to ascertain if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Comeback
One individual remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He was on last season on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were attempting to remain there temporarily. The signing restriction forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad without replacements.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, all but one of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
