The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had let in 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or did there exist any cohesion keeping it intact from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, but then he admitted that the club had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Reports that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio became as messy on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if they're getting better or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
At least one man continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio this season. He was on last season with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to stay there for another season. The transfer ban forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He joined originally under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances with the club in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
