The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the board had not mentioned the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized in their performances as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to determine if progress is being made or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Presence
A single player kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this year. He spent the last one on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to weaken their team lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived initially during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to identify the exact type of his skill set. Labeled as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
