The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or had there never been any cohesion holding it together to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him publicly stated that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Rumours that he might quit were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio became as messy in their performances as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it has been hard to ascertain if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Presence
A single player kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this season. He spent last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his owning club were attempting to remain there temporarily. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He joined initially under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was still trying to identify the nature of the player's talent. Billed as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
