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 a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or was there ever a thread maintaining its structure in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, before he to later acknowledge that the management had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were facing for financial irregularities. Rumours that he could resign were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic on the pitch as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or collapsing.
Matteo's Surprising Return
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant 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 pushing for him to stay there for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived 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 in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His True Position
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
