The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had let in a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever a thread holding it together from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, but then he admitted that the management had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for accounting issues. Reports that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy in their performances as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Return
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this year. He spent the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, Lazio were pushing for him to remain there temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team without replacements.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances with the club in 2022-23, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime 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."
Uncovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
