The atmosphere at their home stadium was far from happy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or did there exist a thread keeping it intact in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him to later acknowledge that the board had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Speculation that he might quit were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio became as messy in their performances as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their initial five matches, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to ascertain if they are improving or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unexpected Presence
One individual remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this season. He spent last season with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his parent club were advocating for him to extend his stay for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He signed originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Finding His True Position
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to determine the specific characteristics of his skill set. Billed as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
