The mood at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever a thread holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, before he publicly stated that the management had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Rumours that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Return
One individual kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He spent the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his parent club were advocating for him to stay there a while longer. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to thin their squad with no new signings.
He joined initially when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, all but one of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Finding His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was persistently working to work out the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Billed as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
