The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had let in a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign unraveling, or did there exist a binding element keeping it intact to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, but then he admitted that the club had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were about to receive for accounting issues. Speculation that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to tell if progress is being made or collapsing.
Matteo's Surprising Comeback
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived originally when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in 2022-23, all but one of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to determine the exact type of his skill set. Originally described as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
