Matteo Cancellieri Demonstrates Brief Sparks of Brilliance in Positive Aspect for Haywire Lazio
The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had let in ten goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist any cohesion holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the board had omitted to inform him about a registration embargo they were facing for accounting issues. Speculation that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it has been hard to tell if they're getting better or imploding.
Cancellieri's Surprising Comeback
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this season. He completed the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, Lazio were advocating for him to remain there temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. They were unable to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, all but one of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom only to bench him consistently."
Finding His Natural Fit
Perhaps the manager was still trying to determine the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri nevertheless spent most of that campaign as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
