The mood at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or had there never been a binding element holding it together to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, but then he publicly stated that the board had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Rumours that his departure was imminent were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized during matches as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if they are improving or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Presence
One individual remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He completed the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to stay there a while longer. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in 2022-23, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to identify the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
