The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in ten goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or did there exist any cohesion holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Reports that he might quit were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy during matches as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
A single player continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio this season. He was on last season with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were advocating for him to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances for Lazio in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to determine the nature of his skill set. Originally described as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
