The mood at their home stadium was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had let in ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, only for him admitted that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Speculation that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy during matches as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to tell if progress is being made or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
At least one man remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He was on the last one at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to stay there for another season. The signing restriction forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived originally under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league for Lazio in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was persistently working to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
