The mood at Lazio's home ground was far from happy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had conceded ten goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or had there never been any cohesion maintaining its structure from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the management had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Reports that he might quit were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if they're getting better or collapsing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence
At least one man continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio this season. He completed the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his parent club were advocating for him to remain there for another season. The signing restriction forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He joined originally during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Discovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was still trying to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
