The atmosphere at their home stadium was far from happy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had conceded ten goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or did there exist a thread keeping it intact in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him publicly stated that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio became as messy in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unexpected Comeback
One individual remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this season. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, Lazio were pushing for him to extend his stay for another season. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to weaken their team with no new signings.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of his skill set. Originally described as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
