The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or had there never been any cohesion holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he publicly stated that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to tell if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Matteo's Surprising Return
At least one man continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He was on the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were advocating for him to stay there a while longer. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to weaken their team with no new signings.
He signed originally during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances with the club in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Discovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to identify the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
