The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had let in 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, but then he to later acknowledge that the club had not mentioned the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he might quit were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic during matches as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to ascertain if progress is being made or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Return
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this season. He was on the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were pushing for him to extend his stay for another season. The signing restriction forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as an attacking winger when he joined, 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 in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
