The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was far from happy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had let in ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Had their campaign unraveling, or was there ever a binding element holding it together in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, only for him admitted that the club had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their first five games, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to tell if progress is being made or collapsing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Presence
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this year. He completed last season with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, Lazio were attempting to remain there temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances with the club in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Finding His True Position
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of his skill set. Billed as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
