The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist any cohesion maintaining its structure to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, before he publicly stated that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Rumours that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Unexpected Return
At least one man kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He spent the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to stay there a while longer. The transfer ban forced a rethink. They were unable to weaken their team with no new signings.
He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, almost all of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended 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 still trying to work out the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
