The feeling at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or did there exist a binding element keeping it intact in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, but then he to later acknowledge that the club had not mentioned the transfer ban they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Rumours that he might quit were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized during matches as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, observers have struggled to tell if progress is being made or collapsing.
Matteo's Unexpected Comeback
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this year. He was on the last one at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad with no new signings.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the nature of the player's talent. Labeled as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
