The atmosphere at their home stadium was far from happy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or had there never been a binding element holding it together in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he admitted that the club had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to ascertain if they are improving or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Comeback
One individual remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this year. He spent the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to remain there a while longer. The signing restriction forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of his skill set. Labeled as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
