The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had conceded a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or was there ever any cohesion keeping it intact in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, before he admitted that the club had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Rumours that his departure was imminent were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining initial five matches, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it has been hard to ascertain if they are improving or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unexpected Comeback
At least one man continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio during this campaign. He completed the last one with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, Lazio were advocating for him to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived initially when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Finding His True Position
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to determine the specific characteristics of his skill set. Originally described as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
