The mood at Lazio's home ground was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Had their campaign falling apart, or did there exist any cohesion maintaining its structure in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, before he to later acknowledge that the board had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Reports that he might quit were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
Lazio appeared equally disorganized during matches as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their initial five matches, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to determine if they are improving or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Presence
A single player kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He spent the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were advocating for him to extend his stay a while longer. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the nature of the player's talent. Originally described as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
