Cancellieri Demonstrates Glimpses of Brilliance in Positive Aspect for Haywire Lazio
The atmosphere at Lazio's home ground was far from happy on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or did there exist a binding element maintaining its structure to start with? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he publicly stated that the board had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club appeared equally disorganized in their performances as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their initial five matches, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to tell if they are improving or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Presence
At least one man kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He was on the last one at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were attempting to extend his stay for another season. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed in the first place under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Discovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was still trying to work out the specific characteristics of his skill set. Billed as an attacking winger upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
