The feeling at their home stadium was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or had there never been any cohesion maintaining its structure in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he admitted that the board had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were about to receive for accounting issues. Speculation that he might quit were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining initial five matches, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or collapsing.
Matteo's Unexpected Comeback
At least one man continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. They were unable to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He joined initially under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances with the club in that campaign, almost all of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was still trying to identify the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
