The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team 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 finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or had there never been a thread keeping it intact from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, before he publicly stated that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Rumours that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their first five games, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Unexpected Return
A single player kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed the last one at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were pushing for him to extend his stay for another season. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team without replacements.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league with the club in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the exact type of his skill set. Billed as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
