The atmosphere at their home stadium was far from happy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had conceded a total of 10 goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or did there exist a binding element keeping it intact to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, but then he admitted that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other initial five matches, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to ascertain if progress is being made or imploding.
The Youngster's Surprising Presence
One individual kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He was on last season at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, Lazio were attempting to remain there for another season. The registration embargo forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Discovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was still trying to work out the nature of his skill set. Billed as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
