The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had allowed a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign falling apart, or had there never been a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, but then he publicly stated that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Reports that he might quit were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized in their performances as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it's been difficult to tell if progress is being made or collapsing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Comeback
At least one man continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this year. He completed last season at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were attempting to stay there a while longer. The signing restriction forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team without replacements.
He signed initially under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the exact type of the player's talent. Labeled as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
