The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever any cohesion holding it together to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, but then he to later acknowledge that the management had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for fiscal problems. Rumours that he might quit were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to determine if progress is being made or imploding.
The Youngster's Surprising Comeback
One individual continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were attempting to remain there a while longer. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in 2022-23, all but one of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His Best Role
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the exact type of the player's talent. Originally described as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
