The mood at their home stadium was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or did there exist any cohesion holding it together to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, before he admitted that the management had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were facing for financial irregularities. Rumours that he could resign were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to tell if progress is being made or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Comeback
One individual remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this year. He was on last season on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to remain there temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. They were unable to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to identify the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
