The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or had there never been a binding element holding it together to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, but then he publicly stated that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were facing for fiscal problems. Reports that he might quit were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as they were off it, overcoming 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 has been hard to tell if they're getting better or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
At least one man remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio during this campaign. He was on the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his owning club were pushing for him to extend his stay a while longer. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in 2022-23, all but one of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was persistently working to identify the nature of his skill set. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
