Cancellieri Displays Brief Sparks of Brilliance in Bright Spot for Haywire Lazio
The feeling at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had let in ten goals while managing only two goals in their last five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever any cohesion keeping it intact to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, only for him to later acknowledge that the management had not mentioned the transfer ban they were facing for accounting issues. Speculation that he might quit were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it has been hard to ascertain if progress is being made or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Presence
A single player remained positive through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this season. He completed the last one on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his owning club were pushing for him to extend his stay temporarily. The transfer ban necessitated a reconsideration. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad with no new signings.
He signed in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to determine the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Originally described as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings during spells with Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
