The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or did there exist a binding element holding it together from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the club had not mentioned a registration embargo they were about to receive for accounting issues. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic during matches as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Presence
At least one man continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He was on last season at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his owning club were attempting to stay there temporarily. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster without replacements.
He joined originally during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 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, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was still trying to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Originally described as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
