The feeling at their home stadium was far from happy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign unraveling, or did there exist a thread maintaining its structure from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, before he publicly stated that the management had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Reports that he might quit were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it has been hard to determine if progress is being made or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Surprising Presence
A single player continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He completed the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad without replacements.
He joined in the first place under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was still trying to identify the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
