The mood at their home stadium was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had let in a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign falling apart, or had there never been any cohesion holding it together in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, but then he admitted that the management had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were about to receive for accounting issues. Reports that he could resign were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic during matches as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it's been difficult to tell if progress is being made or imploding.
Cancellieri's Surprising Return
At least one man remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He completed the last one with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his owning club were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league with the club in 2022-23, almost all of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Finding His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
