The atmosphere at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing 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 in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, but then he to later acknowledge that the club had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Reports that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized in their performances as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other initial five matches, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to tell if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
One individual continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this season. He spent last season on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were advocating for him to stay there temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. They were unable to weaken their team with no new signings.
He signed originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances with the club in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was still trying to identify the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn