The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had conceded a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever a binding element holding it together to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, but then he publicly stated that the management had not mentioned a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Speculation that his departure was imminent were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club became as messy during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to ascertain if they're getting better or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
One individual kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He spent the last one at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were advocating for him to remain there temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was still trying to identify the exact type of his skill set. Originally described as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
