The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or was there ever a thread holding it together in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, only for him admitted that the club had not mentioned the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he might quit were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining initial five matches, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it has been hard to ascertain if they are improving or imploding.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence
One individual kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio during this campaign. He completed the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were pushing for him to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team without replacements.
He signed originally under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was still trying to work out the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
