The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had let in 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or had there never been a binding element keeping it intact to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he to later acknowledge that the board had not mentioned the transfer ban they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Rumours that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic during matches as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to tell if they're getting better or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Surprising Presence
One individual remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio during this campaign. He was on the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were attempting to remain there for another season. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He signed originally under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to determine the specific characteristics of his skill set. Billed as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
