The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he admitted that the club had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that he might quit were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, observers have struggled to tell if they're getting better or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
At least one man remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He was on last season at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were pushing for him to remain there a while longer. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances for Lazio in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was still trying to identify the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
