The mood at their home stadium was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had allowed a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever a thread holding it together in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him to later acknowledge that the management had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were facing for accounting issues. Reports that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club became as messy during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Comeback
At least one man kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He spent last season at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were attempting to stay there temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was still trying to determine the specific characteristics of his skill set. Labeled as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
