The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had let in a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist a thread maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him publicly stated that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for accounting issues. Rumours that he could resign were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio 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 initial five matches, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Matteo's Surprising Return
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this year. He spent the last one with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to remain there temporarily. The signing restriction forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He joined in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances with the club in 2022-23, all but one of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Discovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to identify the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
