The feeling at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Had their campaign unraveling, or had there never been a thread holding it together from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he admitted that the board had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were facing for accounting issues. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining initial five matches, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it has been hard to determine if they're getting better or collapsing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Return
One individual kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio this season. He was on the last one with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his owning club were pushing for him to stay there for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad with no new signings.
He joined in the first place under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was persistently working to work out the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Labeled as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
