The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had let in a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign unraveling, or was there ever a binding element maintaining its structure from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him admitted that the board had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for accounting issues. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized during matches as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or self-destructing.
Matteo's Surprising Comeback
At least one man remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio this season. He was on last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, Lazio were attempting to remain there temporarily. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to work out the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Labeled as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
