The feeling at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had conceded 10 goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or had there never been any cohesion holding it together from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, before he admitted that the club had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that his departure was imminent were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
A single player continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He was on the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay a while longer. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. They were unable to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years 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 from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
