The mood at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been any cohesion holding it together to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, before he to later acknowledge that the club had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for accounting issues. Reports that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or collapsing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Comeback
A single player kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio during this campaign. He completed the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to stay there for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. They were unable to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to identify the nature of the player's talent. Labeled as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
