The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, only for him publicly stated that the board had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for fiscal problems. Rumours that he could resign were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, observers have struggled to tell if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
One individual continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He was on last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to stay there for another season. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to identify the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
