The feeling at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had conceded a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or had there never been a thread holding it together to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, before he admitted that the club had not mentioned a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Reports that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence
One individual remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this season. He completed the last one with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were pushing for him to extend his stay for another season. The transfer ban forced a rethink. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He joined originally during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances with the club in the 2022-23 season, all but one of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was still trying to work out the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
