The feeling at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or did there exist any cohesion keeping it intact to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him publicly stated that the club had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Rumours that he could resign were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club became as messy in their performances as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it has been hard to determine if they are improving or collapsing.
Matteo's Surprising Return
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this season. He completed the last one with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were advocating for him to stay there a while longer. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad with no new signings.
He joined initially when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to determine the exact type of the player's talent. Billed as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
