The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had conceded a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or had there never been a binding element keeping it intact in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he admitted that the management had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Rumours that his departure was imminent were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic during matches as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Presence
One individual remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He spent last season on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were advocating for him to stay there temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. They were unable to reduce their roster without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in 2022-23, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His True Position
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to identify the nature of his skill set. Billed as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
