The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had let in ten goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he admitted that the club had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that he might quit were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other first five games, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, observers have struggled to tell if they are improving or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Presence
A single player remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this year. He completed the last one on loan at Parma and, early this summer, Lazio were pushing for him to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed originally under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was still trying to identify the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Billed as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
