The mood at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or had there never been a binding element maintaining its structure to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, only for him publicly stated that the club had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for accounting issues. Reports that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy in their performances as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if progress is being made or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Comeback
At least one man kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He spent the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was still trying to identify the nature of the player's talent. Billed as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
