The mood at their home stadium was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had let in ten goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or had there never been a thread holding it together to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, but then he publicly stated that the board had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Rumours that he might quit were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to ascertain if they are improving or imploding.
Cancellieri's Surprising Return
One individual kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio during this campaign. He spent the last one with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were advocating for him to stay there a while longer. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived initially under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of his skill set. Labeled as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
