The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had conceded 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or did there exist a thread maintaining its structure to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, only for him to later acknowledge that the board had not mentioned a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Rumours that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other initial five matches, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if they are improving or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unexpected Comeback
One individual remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this year. He completed the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were pushing for him to remain there a while longer. The signing restriction forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He joined initially during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances with the club in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the nature of his skill set. Labeled as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
