The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or did there exist a binding element keeping it intact in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, but then he admitted that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it's been difficult to determine if they are improving or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Comeback
At least one man kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He spent the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived initially under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in 2022-23, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was still trying to identify the exact type of his skill set. Originally described as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
