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The feeling at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had let in ten goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.

A Season Falling Apart?

Had their campaign falling apart, or was there ever a binding element keeping it intact in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach during the off-season, before he admitted that the board had not mentioned the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Rumours that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.

The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic during matches as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it's been difficult to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.

Matteo's Unexpected Return

One individual continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio during this campaign. He completed the previous campaign on loan at Parma and, early this summer, his parent club were advocating for him to extend his stay for another season. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to weaken their team without replacements.

He signed initially when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."

Uncovering His True Position

Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn