The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or had there never been a binding element keeping it intact to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, but then he to later acknowledge that the board had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were facing for financial irregularities. Rumours that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to determine if progress is being made or collapsing.
Matteo's Surprising Return
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He spent last season on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to weaken their team with no new signings.
He joined originally under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in 2022-23, all but one of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was persistently working to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
