The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or did there exist any cohesion keeping it intact to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, before he to later acknowledge that the management had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Rumours that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
Matteo's Surprising Comeback
At least one man continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this season. He completed the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his owning club were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He joined initially during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Finding His True Position
It's possible the coach was persistently working to identify the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
