The mood at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had let in 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or did there exist a binding element keeping it intact from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, before he publicly stated that the management had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for fiscal problems. Reports that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Surprising Comeback
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this season. He was on the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his owning club were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team with no new signings.
He joined in the first place under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Discovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was still trying to identify the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Billed as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
