The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or had there never been a binding element holding it together in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, before he publicly stated that the management had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for fiscal problems. Speculation that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining initial five matches, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to ascertain if progress is being made or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Return
A single player kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He spent the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were pushing for him to remain there temporarily. The registration embargo forced a rethink. They were unable to reduce their roster without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived originally 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 2022-23, almost all of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Finding His True Position
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to identify the nature of his skill set. Labeled as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an ineffective backup 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
