The feeling at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or was there ever a thread holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, before he admitted that the club had not mentioned the transfer ban they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Reports that his departure was imminent were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized during matches as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
One individual remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this season. He completed the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were advocating for him to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban forced a rethink. They were unable to reduce their roster without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived initially during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, almost all of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Finding His True Position
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to identify the nature of the player's talent. Labeled as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
