The mood at their home stadium was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had conceded ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Had their campaign unraveling, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him publicly stated that the club had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Rumours that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized in their performances as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
At least one man kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He spent the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were attempting to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo forced a rethink. They were unable to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He signed originally under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Originally described as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
