The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been any cohesion holding it together from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, only for him to later acknowledge that the board had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to ascertain if they're getting better or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Comeback
One individual continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He completed the last one at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The registration embargo forced a rethink. They were unable to reduce their roster without replacements.
He joined initially when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in 2022-23, all but one of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Finding His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was still trying to work out the nature of his skill set. Billed as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
