The feeling at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or had there never been a thread maintaining its structure to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him publicly stated that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for financial irregularities. Speculation that he might quit were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti 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, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to ascertain if progress is being made or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Return
A single player kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio this year. He completed last season at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were attempting to extend his stay for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. They were unable to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He signed originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
