The mood at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had allowed a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or had there never been any cohesion holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, before he publicly stated that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were facing for fiscal problems. Reports that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or imploding.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Comeback
At least one man continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this season. He was on the last one with Parma on loan and, early this summer, Lazio were attempting to remain there for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad without replacements.
He joined in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Finding His Best Role
It's possible the coach was still trying to identify the nature of the player's talent. Labeled as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
