The mood at their home stadium was anything but joyful this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or did there exist a thread holding it together in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the club had not mentioned a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Reports that he might quit were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or imploding.
Cancellieri's Surprising Return
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He was on the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there for another season. The transfer ban forced a rethink. They were unable to thin their squad without replacements.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in 2022-23, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was still trying to determine the exact type of the player's talent. Originally described as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
