The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or was there ever a thread holding it together in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, before he publicly stated that the club had not mentioned the transfer ban they were about to receive for accounting issues. Reports that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized during matches as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Unexpected Comeback
One individual continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this year. He completed last season at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were pushing for him to remain there for another season. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He joined originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, almost all of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to identify the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
