The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had conceded a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever a thread maintaining its structure to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, only for him to later acknowledge that the board had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were facing for fiscal problems. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining initial five matches, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it has been hard to tell if they are improving or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Return
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He spent last season with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his owning club were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He signed originally during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to determine the exact type of his skill set. Billed as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn