The mood at Lazio's home ground was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or did there exist any cohesion maintaining its structure in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, only for him publicly stated that the board had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Rumours that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized during matches as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or collapsing.
Matteo's Surprising Return
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this year. He spent last season with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his parent club were advocating for him to extend his stay for another season. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, almost all of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
