The feeling at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had let in ten goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or did there exist a binding element maintaining its structure from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the club had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Rumours that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic on the pitch as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it has been hard to tell if they're getting better or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Presence
A single player remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this season. He completed the last one on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his owning club were advocating for him to stay there a while longer. The signing restriction forced a rethink. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He joined in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Finding His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to determine the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Originally described as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
