The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had conceded a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or was there ever a binding element keeping it intact in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, before he admitted that the board had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Reports that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio became as messy on the pitch as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their initial five matches, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to ascertain if they are improving or collapsing.
Matteo's Unexpected Presence
At least one man continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He completed the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, Lazio were attempting to extend his stay for another season. The signing restriction forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad without replacements.
He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to identify the exact type of his skill set. Labeled as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
