The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or did there exist a binding element maintaining its structure from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, but then he publicly stated that the club had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Reports that his departure was imminent were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining first five games, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or imploding.
The Youngster's Surprising Comeback
A single player kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this year. He spent last season with Parma on loan and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived initially during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, almost all 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 but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was still trying to identify the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
