The feeling at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had let in 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been a binding element keeping it intact from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the management had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that he could resign were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic during matches as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, observers have struggled to tell if they're getting better or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
At least one man continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He spent last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his owning club were attempting to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team without replacements.
He joined originally under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in 2022-23, almost all of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was persistently working to identify the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
