The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or was there ever any cohesion holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, before he publicly stated that the club had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized during matches as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, observers have struggled to ascertain if they're getting better or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Presence
At least one man remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He completed last season at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were pushing for him to extend his stay for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, all but one of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to work out the specific characteristics of his skill set. Labeled as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn