The mood at Lazio's home ground was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had let in ten goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or had there never been a thread maintaining its structure from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, before he admitted that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for financial irregularities. Speculation that he could resign were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining initial five matches, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or imploding.
The Youngster's Unexpected Presence
A single player kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio during this campaign. He completed last season with Parma on loan and, early this summer, Lazio were attempting to remain there temporarily. The registration embargo forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He joined originally during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to work out the exact type of his skill set. Labeled as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
