The atmosphere at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or was there ever a binding element keeping it intact in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, only for him publicly stated that the board had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Reports that he might quit were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized during matches as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other initial five matches, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unexpected Comeback
One individual continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this year. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his owning club were advocating for him to remain there for another season. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of the player's talent. Billed as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
