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The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was decidedly gloomy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded ten goals while managing only two goals in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with president Claudio Lotito.

This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?

Was the team's progress unraveling, or did there exist a thread maintaining its structure to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, before he admitted that the board had not mentioned the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Speculation that he might quit were without basis, but he did say that Lotito had "swindled" him.

The Biancocelesti became as messy in their performances as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining first five games, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it has been hard to ascertain if they are improving or imploding.

The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence

A single player continued to smile throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio during this campaign. He was on last season with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his owning club were advocating for him to remain there a while longer. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad without replacements.

He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star only to bench him consistently."

Uncovering His Best Role

It's possible the coach was still trying to work out the nature of his skill set. Labeled as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games during spells with Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn