The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or had there never been a thread holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, but then he to later acknowledge that the board had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that he could resign were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to determine if progress is being made or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Return
At least one man continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this season. He spent the last one at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to remain there temporarily. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to reduce their roster without replacements.
He joined originally during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was still trying to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
