🔗 Share this article

The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded ten goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.

This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?

Was Lazio's season unraveling, or was there ever any cohesion maintaining its structure in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the board had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.

The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their first five games, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to ascertain if they're getting better or self-destructing.

Matteo's Surprising Comeback

At least one man remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He spent last season on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were attempting to stay there a while longer. The registration embargo forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team lacking backup options.

Cancellieri arrived originally when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."

Discovering His Best Role

Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn