The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist any cohesion maintaining its structure from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, before he to later acknowledge that the club had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were facing for accounting issues. Reports that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it has been hard to determine if progress is being made or collapsing.
Matteo's Unexpected Comeback
At least one man remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this year. He was on the last one on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad without replacements.
He joined initially when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was still trying to work out the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign 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
