The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had conceded 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or did there exist a binding element maintaining its structure to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he publicly stated that the club had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Reports that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy in their performances as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if they are improving or imploding.
Cancellieri's Surprising Presence
One individual kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He completed last season at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to remain there for another season. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team without replacements.
He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to work out the specific characteristics of his skill set. Billed as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
