The feeling at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had allowed a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or did there exist a thread keeping it intact to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, but then he admitted that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Rumours that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized in their performances as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
One individual continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this year. He was on the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his owning club were attempting to extend his stay a while longer. The registration embargo forced a rethink. They were unable to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He signed originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His Best Role
It's possible the coach was persistently working to determine the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Originally described 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 during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
