The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the management had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other first five games, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it has been hard to tell if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Matteo's Surprising Presence
At least one man continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this season. He spent the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his parent club were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The registration embargo forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived originally when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to identify the exact type of his skill set. Billed as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
