The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had let in 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or did there exist a binding element holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he admitted that the management had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Speculation that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to ascertain if progress is being made or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Comeback
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this season. He spent the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, Lazio were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. They were unable to reduce their roster without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to work out the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
