The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had allowed 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been any cohesion keeping it intact in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, only for him to later acknowledge that the management had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized during matches as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other initial five matches, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to determine if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Presence
At least one man kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio during this campaign. He completed last season at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, Lazio were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster without replacements.
He joined initially when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."
Finding His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was still trying to work out the specific characteristics of his skill set. Billed as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
