The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had conceded 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or had there never been a binding element maintaining its structure from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him admitted that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Reports that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized in their performances as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other first five games, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, observers have struggled to ascertain if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Comeback
At least one man continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this year. He was on the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were advocating for him to remain there temporarily. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in the 2022-23 season, all but one of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His True Position
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to identify the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Originally described as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
