The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team 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 chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or did there exist any cohesion maintaining its structure from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, before he admitted that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Rumours that he could resign were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining first five games, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, observers have struggled to ascertain if they are improving or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Presence
At least one man remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He completed last season with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, Lazio were attempting to extend his stay a while longer. The signing restriction forced a rethink. They were unable to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Uncovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the nature of his skill set. Labeled as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
