The mood at their home stadium was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or had there never been a thread maintaining its structure to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he to later acknowledge that the club had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Rumours that he could resign were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy in their performances as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to determine if progress is being made or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Return
One individual continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this year. He completed the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, Lazio were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The registration embargo forced a rethink. They were unable to weaken their team with no new signings.
He joined in the first place under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was persistently working to identify the exact type of his skill set. Originally described as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
