The mood at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had let in 10 goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever a binding element holding it together to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him to later acknowledge that the club had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for fiscal problems. Speculation that he might quit were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized during matches as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their first five games, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Surprising Presence
One individual remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this season. He completed the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to determine the nature of his skill set. Labeled as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
