The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had let in ten goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever a binding element holding it together in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him publicly stated that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic during matches as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their first five games, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to tell if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
A single player kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this season. He spent the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He joined originally when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."
Finding His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was still trying to identify the nature of the player's talent. Originally described as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
