The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had conceded 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or was there ever a binding element maintaining its structure to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, before he publicly stated that the club had not mentioned the transfer ban they were about to receive for accounting issues. Reports that his departure was imminent were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized in their performances as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence
One individual continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He completed the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were advocating for him to stay there a while longer. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad with no new signings.
He joined originally during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, almost all of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was still trying to determine the nature of the player's talent. Labeled as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
