The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had conceded a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or had there never been any cohesion keeping it intact to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, before he admitted that the club had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Rumours that he could resign were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio became as messy during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to determine if progress is being made or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
One individual remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this year. He spent the last one at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were attempting to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to reduce their roster without replacements.
He joined initially when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Finding His True Position
Perhaps the manager was still trying to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Billed as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
