The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or was there ever a binding element keeping it intact in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, but then he admitted that the board had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were facing for accounting issues. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they are improving or self-destructing.
Matteo's Surprising Comeback
One individual kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio during this campaign. He completed the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were attempting to remain there for another season. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was still trying to identify the nature of his skill set. Billed as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
