The feeling at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or had there never been any cohesion holding it together from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, but then he publicly stated that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Rumours that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy during matches as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it has been hard to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence
At least one man kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio during this campaign. He spent last season on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were attempting to remain there for another season. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He joined initially during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was still trying to identify the exact type of his skill set. Labeled as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
