The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or was there ever a thread holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, before he publicly stated that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Speculation that he might quit were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining first five games, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Return
At least one man kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this year. He spent the last one at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were pushing for him to extend his stay temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the nature of the player's talent. Labeled as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
