The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had conceded a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign unraveling, or had there never been a thread maintaining its structure from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, only for him admitted that the club had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic on the pitch as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or collapsing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Return
One individual continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this year. He completed the last one on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his owning club were pushing for him to extend his stay for another season. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to weaken their team lacking backup options.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to work out the exact type of his skill set. Labeled as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
