The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist a thread maintaining its structure to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, before he admitted that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Reports that he could resign were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio became as messy on the pitch as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it has been hard to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Return
One individual continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this season. He spent last season with Parma on loan and, early this summer, Lazio were pushing for him to extend his stay for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to determine the specific characteristics of his skill set. Labeled as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
