The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was far from happy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had conceded 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever any cohesion keeping it intact to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him publicly stated that the club had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other initial five matches, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, observers have struggled to tell if they're getting better or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Surprising Presence
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this year. He was on the last one on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his owning club were pushing for him to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He joined in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Finding His Best Role
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
