The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had let in 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or did there exist any cohesion keeping it intact from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he to later acknowledge that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Rumours that he might quit were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to tell if they are improving or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Presence
One individual continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He completed last season with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, Lazio were pushing for him to remain there temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. They were unable to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in 2022-23, the vast majority of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was still trying to identify the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for 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, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
