The mood at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had conceded ten goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever a thread maintaining its structure in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he to later acknowledge that the management had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized during matches as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other first five games, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to tell if they are improving or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Return
One individual remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this season. He was on last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his owning club were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad without replacements.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, all but one of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was still trying to identify the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
