The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or had there never been a thread maintaining its structure to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, but then he admitted that the management had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Speculation that he might quit were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch 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. Throughout this period, it has been hard to determine if they are improving or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
One individual kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio during this campaign. He was on the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, Lazio were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was still trying to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Labeled as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
