The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had let in a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever any cohesion keeping it intact from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, before he to later acknowledge that the board had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were about to receive for accounting issues. Reports that he might quit were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic during matches as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if they are improving or imploding.
Cancellieri's Unforeseen Presence
At least one man kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this year. He was on the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his owning club were pushing for him to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad without replacements.
He joined in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 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 at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the nature of his skill set. Billed as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
