The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or had there never been a binding element holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, but then he admitted that the management had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Rumours that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio became as messy on the pitch as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other initial five matches, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if they are improving or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Presence
One individual kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He was on the last one at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his parent club were pushing for him to remain there temporarily. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived originally under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising 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 specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
