The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in ten goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist any cohesion maintaining its structure to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, but then he to later acknowledge that the board had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Speculation that he might quit were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to determine if progress is being made or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed the last one with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was still trying to identify the nature of the player's talent. Billed as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
