The mood at their home stadium 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 previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been any cohesion 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 about to receive for accounting issues. Rumours that his departure was imminent were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic during matches as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to determine if they are improving or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unexpected Presence
One individual remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this year. He completed the last one on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there for another season. The signing restriction forced a rethink. They were unable to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
