The feeling at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had let in a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Had their campaign unraveling, or did there exist any cohesion keeping it intact from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, before he admitted that the club had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were about to receive for accounting issues. Reports that he might quit were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio became as messy in their performances as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it has been hard to determine if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Return
At least one man continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He spent the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were attempting to stay there a while longer. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He joined in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Discovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to determine the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative 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
