The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever a thread maintaining its structure from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him to later acknowledge that the club had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for fiscal problems. Speculation that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio became as messy in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining initial five matches, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it has been hard to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Comeback
One individual continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He completed last season on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Discovering His Best Role
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
