The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or had there never been a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, but then he admitted that the club had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy on the pitch as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it has been hard to ascertain if they're getting better or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Comeback
At least one man remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He was on the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his owning club were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The transfer ban forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was persistently working to work out the specific characteristics of his skill set. Originally described as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn