The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Had their campaign unraveling, or had there never been a binding element maintaining its structure from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, before he publicly stated that the board had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were facing for financial irregularities. Rumours that his departure was imminent were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic during matches as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to tell if progress is being made or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
A single player kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He spent the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He signed initially under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to identify the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
