The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or was there ever any cohesion keeping it intact from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he to later acknowledge that the club had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Reports that he might quit were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Return
One individual remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He was on last season at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his owning club were advocating for him to remain there for another season. The registration embargo forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team without replacements.
He joined initially when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, all but one of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was still trying to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
