The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had conceded a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or did there exist a binding element keeping it intact to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him admitted that the board had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were about to receive for accounting issues. Speculation that he could resign were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to tell if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Unexpected Comeback
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed last season with Parma on loan and, early this summer, Lazio were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He joined originally during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to identify the exact type of the player's talent. Billed as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
