The mood at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had allowed a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or was there ever any cohesion holding it together to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, only for him admitted that the board had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that he might quit were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio became as messy on the pitch as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to tell if they are improving or collapsing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Presence
At least one man continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He spent last season at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, Lazio were attempting to remain there temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed originally when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances with the club in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Finding His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of his skill set. Labeled as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
