The mood at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had allowed a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been a binding element keeping it intact to start with? Lazio reinstated 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 his departure was imminent were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic during matches as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their initial five matches, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it has been hard to determine if progress is being made or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
One individual continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He spent last season at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his owning club were attempting to extend his stay for another season. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He joined initially when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was persistently working to identify the specific characteristics of his skill set. Originally described as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
