The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was far from happy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had let in a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or was there ever a binding element keeping it intact from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, but then he admitted that the board had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for fiscal problems. Speculation that his departure was imminent were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic during matches as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to determine if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Surprising Presence
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this season. He completed last season with Parma on loan and, early this summer, Lazio were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived initially when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to identify the exact type of his skill set. Labeled as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
