The feeling at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or had there never been any cohesion maintaining its structure from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him admitted that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Reports that he might quit were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to tell if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Return
At least one man continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He spent the last one with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his owning club were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. They were unable to weaken their team without replacements.
He signed originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in 2022-23, almost all of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was still trying to work out the nature of the player's talent. Originally described as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
