The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever a binding element holding it together from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, before he to later acknowledge that the board had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were facing for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other initial five matches, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if they are improving or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
At least one man kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this year. He spent the last one with Parma on loan and, early this summer, Lazio were advocating for him to extend his stay a while longer. The signing restriction forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived originally when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league with the club in 2022-23, 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, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to identify the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
