The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had let in 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or did there exist a thread holding it together from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, before he to later acknowledge that the management had not mentioned a registration embargo they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or collapsing.
Matteo's Surprising Return
One individual kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He completed the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, Lazio were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He joined originally under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in 2022-23, almost all of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was persistently working to determine the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Billed as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
