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The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a continuous dispute with chairman Claudio Lotito.

The Campaign Coming Unstitched?

Was the team's progress coming unstitched, or had there never been any cohesion maintaining its structure to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, only for him to later acknowledge that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Speculation that he could resign were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.

The Roman club were just as chaotic during matches as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. At any given moment, observers have struggled to tell if they're getting better or self-destructing.

Cancellieri's Unexpected Comeback

At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio during this campaign. He spent the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team with no new signings.

He joined initially under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in 2022-23, almost all of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."

Discovering His Best Role

Maybe Sarri was persistently working to determine the specific characteristics of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he scored seven times. Shoehorn