Cancellieri Shows Brief Sparks of Brilliance in Positive Aspect for Haywire Lazio
The mood at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had conceded 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Was Lazio's season falling apart, or was there ever a binding element holding it together to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, only for him admitted that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he stated that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Biancocelesti appeared equally disorganized in their performances as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in their other opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to ascertain if they are improving or collapsing.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
At least one man continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He spent the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his owning club were advocating for him to stay there a while longer. The registration embargo forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.
He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Finding His True Position
Maybe Sarri was still trying to work out the nature of Cancellieri's abilities. Labeled as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
