The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had allowed a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or was there ever any cohesion holding it together from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, but then he to later acknowledge that the management had failed to disclose a ban on new signings they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to ascertain if they're getting better or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Comeback
At least one man continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio this season. He completed last season at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were pushing for him to extend his stay a while longer. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His True Position
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to determine the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
