The feeling at their home stadium was far from happy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign falling apart, or did there exist a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, but then he publicly stated that the management had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Rumours that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club became as messy during matches as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining initial five matches, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it has been hard to determine if progress is being made or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Presence
At least one man kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this season. He completed the last one at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, Lazio were attempting to stay there temporarily. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived initially under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to identify the specific characteristics of his skill set. Labeled as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
