The feeling at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had conceded ten goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been a thread holding it together from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, only for him to later acknowledge that the management had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were facing for fiscal problems. Reports that he could resign were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club became as messy on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
At least one man remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He spent last season with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were pushing for him to extend his stay for another season. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to thin their squad without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Discovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was persistently working to work out the specific characteristics of his skill set. Originally described as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
