The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been a binding element maintaining its structure to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, only for him to later acknowledge that the club had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were facing for fiscal problems. Reports that he might quit were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other first five games, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if they are improving or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
At least one man kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He completed the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, Lazio were advocating for him to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad with no new signings.
He joined originally under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to determine the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Originally described as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an ineffective backup 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
