The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had let in ten goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Had their campaign unraveling, or had there never been any cohesion holding it together to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, but then he to later acknowledge that the club had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Reports that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it has been hard to determine if progress is being made or collapsing.
Matteo's Unexpected Presence
One individual kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this year. He spent last season at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his owning club were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived initially under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn