The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had allowed 10 goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or had there never been a thread holding it together from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, but then he to later acknowledge that the board had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for financial irregularities. Speculation that he could resign were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio became as messy in their performances as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it has been hard to determine if they are improving or imploding.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Comeback
At least one man continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this season. He completed last season with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, Lazio were advocating for him to remain there a while longer. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He joined initially when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His True Position
Maybe Sarri was still trying to work out the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
