The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or had there never been a thread keeping it intact from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, but then he to later acknowledge that the management had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for fiscal problems. Rumours that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their initial five matches, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, observers have struggled to determine if progress is being made or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Presence
A single player remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He completed the last one with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his owning club were pushing for him to extend his stay for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team with no new signings.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to determine the exact type of the player's talent. Billed as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
