The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in ten goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Had their campaign falling apart, or had there never been a binding element holding it together to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the management had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it has been hard to determine if they are improving or imploding.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He was on the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, Lazio were attempting to remain there temporarily. The signing restriction forced a rethink. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league with the club in 2022-23, almost all of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to identify the exact type of the player's talent. Labeled as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
