The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. 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 an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, before he admitted that the board had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for accounting issues. Rumours that his departure was imminent were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club became as messy during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if they're getting better or imploding.
Matteo's Unexpected Return
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He completed the last one on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his parent club were advocating for him to remain there temporarily. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He joined initially under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Discovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to work out the exact type of his skill set. Originally described as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
