The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or had there never been a thread keeping it intact to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, but then he publicly stated that the board had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for accounting issues. Rumours that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized in their performances as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it has been hard to ascertain if they are improving or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Presence
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this season. He completed the last one on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad without replacements.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Finding His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to identify the specific characteristics of his skill set. Billed as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
