The feeling at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or was there ever any cohesion maintaining its structure in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, before he publicly stated that the management had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining first five games, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to tell if they're getting better or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Presence
One individual kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this season. He was on the last one at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were attempting to stay there for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to identify the nature of his skill set. Originally described as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
