The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or was there ever any cohesion maintaining its structure to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, before he to later acknowledge that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Speculation that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic during matches as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, observers have struggled to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
One individual continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio this season. He spent last season on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were attempting to stay there temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He joined initially during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Finding His Best Role
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
