The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had conceded 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or was there ever a thread holding it together from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the management had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Reports that his departure was imminent were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining first five games, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, observers have struggled to determine if progress is being made or collapsing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Presence
At least one man remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He completed the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay for another season. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team with no new signings.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league with the club in 2022-23, almost all of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."
Discovering His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was still trying to determine the nature of the player's talent. Billed as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
