The mood at their home stadium was far from happy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Had their campaign unraveling, or had there never been any cohesion holding it together from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, only for him to later acknowledge that the board had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were about to receive for accounting issues. Speculation that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it has been hard to determine if they are improving or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Presence
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this year. He completed the last one at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, Lazio were pushing for him to extend his stay temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to determine the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
