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The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.

The Campaign Unraveling?

Was Lazio's season unraveling, or had there never been a thread maintaining its structure from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team this summer, but then he to later acknowledge that the board had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were facing for fiscal problems. Reports that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.

The Roman club were just as chaotic on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their first five games, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to ascertain if they are improving or self-destructing.

Matteo's Surprising Comeback

One individual remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this season. He was on the last one at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, Lazio were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The signing restriction necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster with no new signings.

He joined in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, almost all of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential then never playing him."

Uncovering His True Position

It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Billed as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn