The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had let in ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or did there exist a binding element holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him publicly stated that the club had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it has been hard to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Return
A single player continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this year. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, Lazio were attempting to remain there temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to weaken their team with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived initially during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, all but one of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was still trying to determine the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
