The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist a thread holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him publicly stated that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized during matches as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other first five games, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Comeback
A single player continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio during this campaign. He spent the last one at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were pushing for him to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. They were unable to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
