🔗 Share this article

The atmosphere at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had let in 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.

This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?

Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever a binding element keeping it intact from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, before he publicly stated that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Reports that he might quit were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.

Lazio were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or collapsing.

Matteo's Unexpected Presence

At least one man kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He was on last season at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his parent club were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster with no new signings.

He joined in the first place under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."

Uncovering His Best Role

Perhaps the manager was still trying to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn