🔗 Share this article

The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had let in ten goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.

This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?

Had their campaign falling apart, or had there never been any cohesion keeping it intact from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, only for him admitted that the management had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Rumours that he could resign were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.

Lazio were just as chaotic on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to ascertain if they're getting better or self-destructing.

Matteo's Unexpected Return

One individual continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He was on the last one on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team without replacements.

He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in the 2022-23 season, the vast majority of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."

Discovering His Best Role

It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn