The feeling at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had let in 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been a binding element keeping it intact from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, but then he admitted that the board had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were facing for fiscal problems. Rumours that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to determine if they are improving or collapsing.
Matteo's Surprising Presence
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He spent the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his owning club were advocating for him to stay there a while longer. The registration embargo forced a rethink. They were unable to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He joined originally during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league with the club in 2022-23, all but one of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was still trying to identify the nature of the player's talent. Billed as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
