The atmosphere at their home stadium was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had allowed a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or had there never been any cohesion maintaining its structure in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for accounting issues. Reports that his departure was imminent were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to tell if they're getting better or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Return
At least one man remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He spent last season at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The registration embargo forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived originally under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in 2022-23, almost all of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to identify the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
