The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had conceded 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 an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or had there never been a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, before he to later acknowledge that the club had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were about to receive for accounting issues. Rumours that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy on the pitch as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their first five games, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, observers have struggled to determine if progress is being made or imploding.
The Youngster's Unexpected Return
At least one man continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this year. He completed last season with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were pushing for him to stay there for another season. The signing restriction forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league with the club in 2022-23, almost all of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
