The mood at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had let in a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or had there never been a binding element keeping it intact in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him to later acknowledge that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Speculation that he might quit were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio became as messy on the pitch as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to determine if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence
At least one man continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this season. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, Lazio were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived originally under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Finding His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
