The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had allowed 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or did there exist a binding element keeping it intact from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he publicly stated that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic on the pitch as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining first five games, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to determine if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Presence
One individual continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He was on the last one on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay for another season. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He signed originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league with the club in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Finding His Best Role
It's possible the coach was persistently working to identify the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
