The feeling at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist a binding element holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the management had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Speculation that he could resign were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic during matches as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to determine if they are improving or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Presence
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this season. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to determine the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Labeled as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
