The feeling at their home stadium was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or did there exist any cohesion holding it together from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, before he admitted that the club had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he might quit were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio became as messy during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it has been hard to determine if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Comeback
At least one man remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his owning club were pushing for him to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He joined initially under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to work out the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Labeled as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
