The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Had their campaign unraveling, or had there never been any cohesion keeping it intact to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, but then he to later acknowledge that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Rumours that his departure was imminent were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it has been hard to ascertain if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
A single player kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He spent the last one on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were pushing for him to remain there a while longer. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. They were unable to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, almost all of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
