The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or did there exist a binding element holding it together in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, before he publicly stated that the board had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Reports that he might quit were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other first five games, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Surprising Comeback
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He spent last season at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his parent club were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The registration embargo forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived initially under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league for Lazio 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 "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."
Discovering His True Position
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to determine the nature of the player's talent. Originally described as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
