The mood at their home stadium was far from happy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded ten goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, but then he to later acknowledge that the board had not mentioned a registration embargo they were facing for accounting issues. Reports that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio became as messy during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Return
At least one man remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this year. He was on the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, Lazio were attempting to remain there for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in 2022-23, almost all of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was still trying to determine the nature of his skill set. Originally described as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
