The feeling at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had conceded 10 goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or was there ever a binding element keeping it intact from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he admitted that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for accounting issues. Reports that he could resign were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club became as messy in their performances as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining initial five matches, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to tell if they're getting better or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Comeback
At least one man kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this year. He was on the last one with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his owning club were pushing for him to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to identify the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Labeled as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
