The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had conceded 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or was there ever a thread maintaining its structure from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, but then he admitted that the club had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were about to receive for accounting issues. Rumours that he might quit were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, observers have struggled to determine if progress is being made or collapsing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Return
A single player continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio this season. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his parent club were advocating for him to stay there temporarily. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He signed originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances with the club in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to identify the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn