The mood at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Had their campaign unraveling, or had there never been a thread keeping it intact in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, but then he to later acknowledge that the club had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that he could resign were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Matteo's Surprising Comeback
A single player kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He spent last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were advocating for him to remain there temporarily. The registration embargo forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team with no new signings.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances with the club in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His Best Role
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the exact type of the player's talent. Originally described as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
