The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever any cohesion holding it together in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, only for him to later acknowledge that the club had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic during matches as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it has been hard to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Surprising Comeback
One individual kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He spent the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were advocating for him to remain there a while longer. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He joined in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-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 ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was still trying to work out the specific characteristics of his skill set. Billed as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
