The mood at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever any cohesion holding it together from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he publicly stated that the management had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic in their performances 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. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or imploding.
Cancellieri's Surprising Presence
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were advocating for him to stay there temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team without replacements.
He signed originally during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, almost all of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Finding His True Position
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to work out the nature of the player's talent. Billed as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
