The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had conceded a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, before he admitted that the board had not mentioned a registration embargo they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Reports that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio 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 initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Unexpected Presence
One individual continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio this season. He spent last season with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in 2022-23, the vast majority of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to identify the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
