The atmosphere at their home stadium was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had conceded 10 goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, only for him publicly stated that the board had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy during matches as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining first five games, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it has been hard to ascertain if they're getting better or imploding.
Cancellieri's Surprising Return
One individual remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He spent the last one with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, Lazio were attempting to remain there temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
