The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist a thread holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, before he to later acknowledge that the board had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Speculation that he could resign were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it has been hard to determine if they're getting better or collapsing.
Matteo's Surprising Presence
One individual continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He completed the last one on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were pushing for him to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He joined 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 for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to identify the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
