The mood at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or did there exist any cohesion holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he admitted that the board had not mentioned a registration embargo they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it has been hard to ascertain if they are improving or collapsing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Return
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He was on the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his owning club were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The signing restriction forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He joined in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to identify the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Originally described as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term 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, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
