Cancellieri Displays Brief Sparks of Brilliance in Bright Spot for Struggling Lazio
The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had let in 10 goals while scoring only two in their most recent five league matches. Fans from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a continuous dispute with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season unraveling, or was there ever any cohesion maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, before he publicly stated that the club had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Speculation that he might quit were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing their other initial five matches, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to ascertain if they're getting better or imploding.
The Youngster's Surprising Comeback
A single player remained positive amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio this year. He was on the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his owning club were pushing for him to extend his stay for another season. The transfer ban forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to weaken their team with no new signings.
He signed originally under Sarri's first spell, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, the vast majority of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."
Finding His True Position
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to determine the exact type of his skill set. Labeled as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
