The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign unraveling, or had there never been a binding element holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, but then he admitted that the board had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club became as messy during matches as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unexpected Comeback
A single player continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio this year. He was on the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Finding His True Position
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to determine the exact type of his skill set. Labeled as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
