The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had let in a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the club had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were about to receive for accounting issues. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining initial five matches, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it has been hard to determine if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Return
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He spent the last one at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his parent club were pushing for him to extend his stay a while longer. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Billed as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
