Matteo Cancellieri Shows Glimpses of Brilliance in Bright Spot for Unstable Lazio
The mood at their home stadium was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Unraveling?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or did there exist a thread keeping it intact to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as head coach in the summer transfer window, but then he to later acknowledge that the club had omitted to inform him about a ban on new signings they were set to be hit with for fiscal problems. Rumours that he could resign were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club became as messy during matches as off the field, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining first five games, including the Rome derby. At any given moment, it has been hard to determine if they're getting better or self-destructing.
Cancellieri's Unexpected Comeback
A single player remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this season. He spent the previous campaign 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. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster without replacements.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, the vast majority of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Discovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to identify the exact type of his skill set. Originally described as a wide forward when he joined, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
