The atmosphere at their home stadium was anything but joyful 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. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been any cohesion keeping it intact to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the board had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were facing for fiscal problems. Rumours that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
At least one man kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this season. He was on the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay a while longer. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team without replacements.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was still trying to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
