The atmosphere at their home stadium was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or did there exist a thread maintaining its structure from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the management had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio during this campaign. He was on the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad without replacements.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the exact type of his skill set. Billed as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
