The mood at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had let in a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or was there ever any cohesion keeping it intact from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, before he admitted that the board had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Rumours that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized during matches as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to tell if they are improving or imploding.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio during this campaign. He was on the last one on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his owning club were attempting to stay there temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. They were unable to weaken their team without replacements.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Finding His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
