The mood at their home stadium was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had conceded 10 goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, only for him admitted that the management had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic on the pitch as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Unexpected Presence
One individual remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He completed the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, Lazio were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team with no new signings.
He joined originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, all but one of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Discovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was persistently working to identify the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
