The mood at Lazio's home ground was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had conceded ten goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or was there ever any cohesion holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, before he admitted that the club had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Rumours that he could resign were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized in their performances as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Comeback
One individual 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, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. They were unable to reduce their roster without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived originally under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
