The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had let in ten goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign unraveling, or did there exist any cohesion maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, only for him publicly stated that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Rumours that he could resign were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic during matches as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other initial five matches, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to determine if they are improving or self-destructing.
Matteo's Surprising Return
One individual remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this year. He was on last season at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were attempting to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was still trying to work out the specific characteristics of his skill set. Originally described as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
