The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or had there never been a binding element keeping it intact in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, but then he admitted that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for accounting issues. Reports that he might quit were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized in their performances as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they are improving or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Return
One individual remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this season. He completed last season with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay a while longer. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team without replacements.
He signed originally during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."
Finding His True Position
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Originally described as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
