The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had let in a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or did there exist a thread holding it together in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him admitted that the management had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other first five games, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or imploding.
Cancellieri's Surprising Comeback
A single player continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this season. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, Lazio were pushing for him to remain there temporarily. The registration embargo forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He joined in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, almost all of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Discovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Billed as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
