The mood at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had let in 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign falling apart, or did there exist a thread keeping it intact in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, before he publicly stated that the club had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were facing for fiscal problems. Reports that his departure was imminent were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic during matches as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other initial five matches, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Return
At least one man kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed the last one on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team with no new signings.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
