The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or did there exist a thread holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him to later acknowledge 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 unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio became as messy during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if they are improving or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Return
At least one man kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio during this campaign. He completed last season at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He joined originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in 2022-23, the vast majority of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was persistently working to work out the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
