The atmosphere at their home stadium was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had conceded 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or was there ever a thread maintaining its structure from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, before he to later acknowledge that the management had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Reports that he could resign were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club became as messy in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Comeback
A single player continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this year. He was on last season on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there for another season. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the nature of his skill set. Billed as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
