The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had let in ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or did there exist any cohesion maintaining its structure from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, before he publicly stated that the board had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other initial five matches, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to determine if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Presence
At least one man continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this year. He spent the last one at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were pushing for him to extend his stay temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, almost all of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Discovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was still trying to identify the nature of his skill set. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
