The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had conceded a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, but then he admitted that the board had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Rumours that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, observers have struggled to tell if they're getting better or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Presence
A single player remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He was on the last one with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster without replacements.
He joined in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, all but one of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Discovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
