The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or had there never been a thread keeping it intact from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he admitted that the board had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for fiscal problems. Rumours that he might quit were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio became as messy in their performances as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to determine if they are improving or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Presence
At least one man remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He spent last season with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He joined originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His True Position
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the nature of his skill set. Billed as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
