The atmosphere at their home stadium was far from happy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had conceded a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or did there exist a thread maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, before he admitted that the club had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Reports that his departure was imminent were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy on the pitch as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to ascertain if they're getting better or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Return
One individual kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He was on the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, Lazio were attempting to remain there a while longer. The registration embargo forced a rethink. They were unable to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Discovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to determine the exact type of his skill set. Originally described as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
