The atmosphere at their home stadium was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or was there ever any cohesion holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, but then he publicly stated that the board had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for fiscal problems. 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 they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Return
At least one man continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio during this campaign. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, Lazio were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league with the club in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of his skill set. Originally described as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
