The mood at their home stadium was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest 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 from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the club had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for fiscal problems. Rumours that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic during matches as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to ascertain if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
One individual continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this season. He spent last season at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction forced a rethink. They were unable to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He joined initially during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was still trying to identify the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Labeled as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
