The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had conceded 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever a thread holding it together from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him publicly stated that the club had not mentioned a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Reports that he could resign were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio became as messy on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or collapsing.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Presence
At least one man continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this season. He spent the last one at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were advocating for him to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban forced a rethink. They were unable to weaken their team without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived initially during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
