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The feeling at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.

This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?

Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or was there ever a thread keeping it intact in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, but then he publicly stated that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for accounting issues. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.

Lazio were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if they are improving or collapsing.

Cancellieri's Unexpected Comeback

At least one man kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He spent the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were attempting to stay there a while longer. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster lacking backup options.

He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in 2022-23, almost all of those coming off the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."

Discovering His Natural Fit

It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of his skill set. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn