The mood at their home stadium was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had let in ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, only for him admitted that the club had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were facing for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic during matches as they were off it, beating 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.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
One individual continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He completed the last one at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his parent club were pushing for him to remain there for another season. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived originally under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Finding His True Position
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to identify the exact type of his skill set. Billed as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
