The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or had there never been any cohesion holding it together from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the management had not mentioned a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Speculation that he could resign were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to ascertain if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
A single player kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He spent last season at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. They were unable to weaken their team without replacements.
He joined in the first place under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances with the club in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Finding His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to work out the nature of his skill set. Billed as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
