The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had let in ten goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or did there exist a binding element maintaining its structure to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, but then he admitted that the board had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other initial five matches, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it has been hard to ascertain if progress is being made or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Comeback
A single player kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He was on the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay for another season. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived originally when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Labeled as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
