The mood at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had let in ten goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in an ongoing feud with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Had their campaign coming unstitched, or was there ever a binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, but then he publicly stated that the board had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for accounting issues. Rumours that his departure was imminent were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti became as messy in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Presence
One individual continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this year. He completed the last one at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were pushing for him to remain there temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. They were unable to weaken their team with no new signings.
Cancellieri arrived initially during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His True Position
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to identify the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
