The feeling at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or did there exist a thread maintaining its structure from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, only for him admitted that the board had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Rumours that he could resign were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic during matches as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they are improving or imploding.
The Youngster's Unexpected Presence
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He spent last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his owning club were advocating for him to extend his stay for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster without replacements.
He joined originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in the 2022-23 season, all but one of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was still trying to work out the exact type of his skill set. Billed as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
