The feeling at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had allowed 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been any cohesion maintaining its structure to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, but then he publicly stated that the board had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for accounting issues. Speculation that his departure was imminent were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club became as messy during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if they are improving or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence
A single player continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this season. He completed last season at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his parent club were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He signed originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Discovering His True Position
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
