The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had allowed 10 goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist a binding element maintaining its structure to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, before he to later acknowledge that the club had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy during matches as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their first five games, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it's been difficult to determine if they are improving or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Comeback
At least one man remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio during this campaign. He spent the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The registration embargo forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed initially under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in 2022-23, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was still trying to identify the nature of his skill set. Labeled as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
