The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 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.
A Season Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or did there exist any cohesion holding it together to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, before he publicly stated that the club had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, observers have struggled to tell if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Presence
At least one man remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this year. He completed the last one at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His True Position
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to identify the exact type of the player's talent. Labeled as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
