The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had let in ten goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist a thread holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, only for him to later acknowledge that the board had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were about to receive for accounting issues. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized during matches as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other initial five matches, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or imploding.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Comeback
A single player continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this year. He spent the last one with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his parent club were pushing for him to remain there for another season. The signing restriction forced a rethink. They were unable to weaken their team lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place 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, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His Best Role
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the nature of his skill set. Originally described as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
