The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or was there ever a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, but then he admitted that the club had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Reports that his departure was imminent were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club became as messy during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it's been difficult to tell if they're getting better or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Return
One individual remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He completed the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were advocating for him to extend his stay a while longer. The signing restriction forced a rethink. They were unable to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He joined originally during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league with the club in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was still trying to identify the exact type of his skill set. Originally described as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
