The mood at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or was there ever a thread maintaining its structure in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, only for him publicly stated that the club had not mentioned a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Reports that he could resign were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to determine if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
One individual remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He was on the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his parent club were pushing for him to remain there for another season. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad with no new signings.
He joined in the first place under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league for Lazio in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was persistently working to determine the nature of his skill set. Originally described as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
