The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or was there ever a thread holding it together from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, before he to later acknowledge that the management had not mentioned a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Speculation that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy during matches as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or imploding.
Cancellieri's Surprising Return
At least one man continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this year. He spent the last one with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his owning club were attempting to extend his stay for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. They were unable to weaken their team with no new signings.
He signed originally during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His True Position
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Labeled as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
