The atmosphere at their home stadium was far from happy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or did there exist any cohesion keeping it intact in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the club had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, observers have struggled to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
At least one man remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this season. He was on the last one on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, Lazio were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction forced a rethink. They were unable to thin their squad with no new signings.
He signed initially under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was still trying to determine the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Labeled as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
