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The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a team that had let in a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest 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 binding element maintaining its structure in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, but then he publicly stated that the management had not mentioned a ban on new signings they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Reports that he might quit were not true, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.

Lazio were just as chaotic on the pitch as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or collapsing.

Cancellieri's Unforeseen Return

At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He spent the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, his owning club were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster with no new signings.

Cancellieri arrived initially when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He made 20 matches in the league in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."

Finding His Natural Fit

Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to work out the nature of his skill set. Originally described as a flank player 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