The mood at their home stadium was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Had their campaign unraveling, or was there ever a thread maintaining its structure to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, only for him publicly stated that the club had not mentioned the transfer ban they were facing for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to ascertain if progress is being made or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed the last one with Parma on loan and, early this summer, Lazio were advocating for him to stay there temporarily. The signing restriction forced a rethink. They were unable to thin their squad with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left 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
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of the player's talent. Labeled as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
