The atmosphere at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had allowed 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign falling apart, or had there never been any cohesion holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, but then he to later acknowledge that the management had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he might quit were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, observers have struggled to determine if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Surprising Presence
One individual continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He spent the last one with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his parent club were attempting to stay there for another season. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Best Role
Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
