The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or had there never been a thread keeping it intact in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the management had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their initial five matches, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to determine if they are improving or imploding.
The Youngster's Unexpected Comeback
At least one man continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed the last one at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his owning club were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived initially during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."
Discovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
