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The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.

This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?

Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist a thread maintaining its structure in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, only for him to later acknowledge that the management had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Rumours that his departure was imminent were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.

Lazio were just as chaotic during matches as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it's been difficult to tell if they're getting better or collapsing.

Cancellieri's Unexpected Presence

At least one man kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to remain with Lazio this season. He spent the last one on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his owning club were pushing for him to extend his stay temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad lacking backup options.

He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."

Discovering His True Position

Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn