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The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had conceded ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.

A Season Coming Unstitched?

Was the team's progress falling apart, or had there never been any cohesion keeping it intact from the beginning? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, before he to later acknowledge that the club had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Rumours that his departure was imminent were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.

Lazio were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it has been hard to determine if they're getting better or imploding.

Cancellieri's Unforeseen Comeback

One individual remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He completed the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his parent club were advocating for him to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster with no new signings.

He joined originally during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances for Lazio in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."

Uncovering His Best Role

Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to identify the exact type of the player's talent. Originally described as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn