The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, only for him admitted that the management had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Rumours that he might quit were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized on the pitch 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. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to ascertain if progress is being made or imploding.
Matteo's Unexpected Comeback
At least one man continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He was on last season with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were attempting to extend his stay for another season. The signing restriction forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster without replacements.
He joined originally when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league with the club in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Finding His True Position
Perhaps the manager was still trying to determine the nature of the player's talent. Originally described as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
