The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had conceded ten goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or had there never been a binding element keeping it intact from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he to later acknowledge that the club had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club became as messy during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to ascertain if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Unexpected Presence
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this season. He spent the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his owning club were advocating for him to remain there for another season. The transfer ban forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad without replacements.
He signed originally during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
