The atmosphere at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had allowed a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or did there exist a thread keeping it intact from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, only for him publicly stated that the management had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were about to receive for accounting issues. Speculation that he might quit were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if they are improving or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Return
One individual remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this season. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived originally when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, all but one of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Finding His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
