The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign unraveling, or was there ever any cohesion holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he admitted that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for fiscal problems. Speculation that he could resign were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their initial five matches, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, it has been hard to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Comeback
A single player kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He spent the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, his owning club were attempting to extend his stay a while longer. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
He joined in the first place under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Finding His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was persistently working to determine the nature of his skill set. Billed as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
