The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had allowed 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or was there ever a binding element holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, but then he admitted that the board had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Reports that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other initial five matches, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to determine if they are improving or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
One individual remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio during this campaign. He completed last season at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his owning club were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. They were unable to weaken their team lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived originally during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Discovering His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
