The mood at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or did there exist a binding element keeping it intact from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, before he publicly stated that the board had not mentioned the transfer ban they were facing for fiscal problems. Reports that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club became as messy during matches as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Matteo's Unexpected Comeback
One individual kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this year. He completed the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were attempting to extend his stay for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team with no new signings.
He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was still trying to identify the nature of the player's talent. Labeled as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
