The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or did there exist a binding element holding it together to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, only for him admitted that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Rumours that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy on the pitch as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their initial five matches, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if they are improving or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Return
One individual kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He completed the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay a while longer. The registration embargo forced a rethink. They were unable to thin their squad without replacements.
He joined initially during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
