The mood at their home stadium was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or was there ever a thread holding it together from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him admitted that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Reports that he could resign were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Comeback
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He spent last season on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his parent club were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He joined in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league for Lazio in the 2022-23 season, all but one of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of his skill set. Billed as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
