Cancellieri Displays Flashing Moments of Brilliance in Bright Spot for Unstable Lazio
The mood at Lazio's home ground was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had conceded ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or had there never been a thread holding it together from the beginning? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, only for him to later acknowledge that the management had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were facing for accounting issues. Rumours that he could resign were unfounded, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic in their performances as behind the scenes, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the rest of their first five games, featuring the derby della Capitale. At any given moment, it's been difficult to ascertain if they are improving or self-destructing.
The Youngster's Unexpected Comeback
At least one man kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this year. He completed the last one at Parma as a loanee and, early this summer, Lazio were pushing for him to remain there for another season. The registration embargo forced a rethink. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster without replacements.
He joined in the first place when Sarri was last in charge, 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 ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Finding His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Originally described as a flank player upon signing, Cancellieri yet was deployed for most of that campaign as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
