The feeling at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist any cohesion holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, only for him admitted that the board had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for accounting issues. Speculation that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio became as messy on the pitch as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their first five games, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Presence
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his parent club were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad with no new signings.
He joined originally during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances with the club in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Finding His True Position
It's possible the coach was persistently working to work out the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
