The feeling at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or was there ever a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, only for him admitted that the board had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were facing for accounting issues. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized during matches as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other initial five matches, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to tell if they are improving or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Presence
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this season. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his owning club were attempting to remain there for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Discovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to determine the exact type of the player's talent. Originally described as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
