The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or was there ever a thread holding it together in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, but then he to later acknowledge that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Rumours that he might quit were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Comeback
One individual kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this season. He spent the last one on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were attempting to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. They were unable to reduce their roster without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in 2022-23, all but one of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to determine the exact type of the player's talent. Billed as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
