The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or had there never been any cohesion keeping it intact in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, but then he publicly stated that the board had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for fiscal problems. Reports that he might quit were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio became as messy in their performances as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it has been hard to ascertain if they are improving or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He spent the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were advocating for him to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He signed originally under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Uncovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to determine the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
