The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Had their campaign falling apart, or did there exist any cohesion maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he admitted that the board had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio became as messy during matches as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or collapsing.
Matteo's Surprising Comeback
At least one man continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio during this campaign. He completed the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his parent club were pushing for him to remain there for another season. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to weaken their team with no new signings.
He joined originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Uncovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
