The atmosphere at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had let in ten goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Had their campaign unraveling, or had there never been a thread holding it together from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, before he publicly stated that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Speculation that he might quit were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to tell if they're getting better or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
At least one man kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio this year. He was on the last one at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, Lazio were advocating for him to extend his stay for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad with no new signings.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was still trying to identify the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
