The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had allowed 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign falling apart, or had there never been a thread keeping it intact to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, but then he publicly stated that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for accounting issues. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy during matches as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
A single player continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this year. He spent the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his owning club were advocating for him to extend his stay a while longer. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team without replacements.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Uncovering His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was still trying to work out the nature of the player's talent. Billed as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
