The feeling at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had conceded a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or had there never been any cohesion maintaining its structure to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, only for him admitted that the club had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for accounting issues. Rumours that he might quit were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other initial five matches, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if they are improving or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Presence
One individual kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He completed last season with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were pushing for him to remain there temporarily. The signing restriction forced a rethink. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He joined initially when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
