The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had allowed 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or had there never been any cohesion keeping it intact from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, but then he publicly stated that the management had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Rumours that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy in their performances as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to tell if they are improving or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Comeback
A single player remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He spent last season with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, Lazio were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to thin their squad with no new signings.
He joined initially when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His True Position
It's possible the coach was persistently working to identify the nature of the player's talent. Originally described as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
