The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had conceded 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign unraveling, or did there exist a thread holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, before he to later acknowledge that the board had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that he could resign were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to determine if progress is being made or imploding.
Cancellieri's Surprising Presence
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He completed the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his parent club were pushing for him to extend his stay for another season. The transfer ban forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He joined originally when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to identify the exact type of his skill set. Originally described as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
