The mood at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had let in a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or was there ever a binding element maintaining its structure to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Rumours that he might quit were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic 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, observers have struggled to determine if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed the last one at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He signed originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Finding His True Position
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Labeled as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
