The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side 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 latest protest in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or did there exist a thread keeping it intact to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he admitted that the board had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Rumours that he might quit were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized in their performances as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or collapsing.
Matteo's Surprising Return
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He was on the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were advocating for him to extend his stay a while longer. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances for Lazio in the 2022-23 season, all but one of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to identify the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
