The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been a thread keeping it intact from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, only for him publicly stated that the management had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Rumours that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy in their performances as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it's been difficult to tell if progress is being made or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Comeback
At least one man kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this season. He was on the last one at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were pushing for him to remain there a while longer. The signing restriction forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league for Lazio in 2022-23, the vast majority of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to identify the exact type of the player's talent. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
