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The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.

A Season Coming Unstitched?

Was the team's progress unraveling, or was there ever a thread maintaining its structure in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, before he admitted that the club had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were facing for accounting issues. Speculation that his departure was imminent were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.

Lazio appeared equally disorganized on the pitch as off the field, beating 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, observers have struggled to determine if they're getting better or collapsing.

Cancellieri's Unforeseen Presence

At least one man remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He completed last season at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad lacking backup options.

He signed originally when Sarri was last in charge, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."

Uncovering His Natural Fit

Perhaps the manager was persistently working to determine the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn