Cancellieri Shows Flashing Moments of Genius in Bright Spot for Unstable Lazio
The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The home side was losing against Torino, a team that had let in 10 goals while scoring only two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with chairman Claudio Lotito.
A Season Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or was there ever any cohesion holding it together in the first place? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, before he to later acknowledge that the management had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban 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 Biancocelesti were just as chaotic during matches as behind the scenes, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it has been hard to determine if progress is being made or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Presence
At least one man kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to be at Lazio this year. He completed the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, early this summer, his parent club were pushing for him to stay there a while longer. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived initially when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 league appearances with the club in that campaign, almost all of those from the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended following that term, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Finding His Best Role
It's possible the coach was still trying to work out the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Originally described as a wide forward on arrival, Cancellieri instead found himself much of that season as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. Across 63 games while playing for Empoli and Parma in the past two years, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
