The feeling at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or had there never been a thread keeping it intact from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he publicly stated that the board had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were facing for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic on the pitch as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining 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
One individual remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio during this campaign. He spent the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his owning club were attempting to extend his stay for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived initially during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to determine the nature of his skill set. Labeled as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
