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The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had conceded a total of 10 goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.

The Campaign Unraveling?

Had their campaign coming unstitched, or did there exist a binding element keeping it intact in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he admitted that the club had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Reports that he might quit were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.

Lazio were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining first five games, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to tell if they're getting better or self-destructing.

Matteo's Unexpected Presence

A single player kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He was on the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were pushing for him to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team with no new signings.

Cancellieri arrived in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."

Finding His Natural Fit

It's possible the coach was persistently working to work out the exact type of his skill set. Labeled as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn