The mood at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had allowed a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever a thread holding it together in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, before he admitted that the club had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were facing for fiscal problems. Speculation that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized in their performances as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their first five games, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, observers have struggled to determine if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Unexpected Presence
At least one man kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He was on the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his parent club were pushing for him to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was persistently working to determine the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
