The mood at their home stadium was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had allowed a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their previous 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 Unraveling?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, before he to later acknowledge that the club had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence
A single player remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He was on the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were advocating for him to remain there temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived initially when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to work out the nature of the player's talent. Billed as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
