The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had conceded ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Had their campaign falling apart, or did there exist a binding element holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, but then he publicly stated that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to determine if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
One individual remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed the last one with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to remain there for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He joined originally under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in the 2022-23 season, all but one of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was still trying to identify the exact type of his skill set. Billed as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
