The feeling at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had let in 10 goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, only for him to later acknowledge that the board had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that he could resign were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy during matches as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence
One individual kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He spent the last one on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his owning club were advocating for him to extend his stay a while longer. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived initially when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances for Lazio in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was persistently working to identify the exact type of his skill set. Billed as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
