The feeling at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or did there exist a binding element keeping it intact to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, before he to later acknowledge that the management had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to ascertain if they're getting better or collapsing.
Matteo's Unexpected Return
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this year. He completed the last one on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were pushing for him to stay there for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to identify the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
