The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or was there ever any cohesion maintaining its structure from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the club had not mentioned a registration embargo they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Rumours that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Presence
One individual kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio this season. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his parent club were advocating for him to remain there a while longer. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He joined in the first place under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in 2022-23, the vast majority of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to determine the nature of his skill set. Labeled as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
