The feeling at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had let in a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or had there never been any cohesion maintaining its structure in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him publicly stated that the management had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Rumours that he might quit were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or self-destructing.
Matteo's Surprising Presence
One individual continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this season. He completed the last one 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. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Labeled as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
