The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or had there never been any cohesion maintaining its structure from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, before he admitted that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Rumours that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club became as messy during matches as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to ascertain if progress is being made or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Comeback
A single player continued to smile through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio during this campaign. He was on the last one with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were advocating for him to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of the player's talent. Billed as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
