Matteo Cancellieri Shows Glimpses of Genius in Positive Aspect for Struggling Lazio
The feeling at their home stadium was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had allowed 10 goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
A Season Coming Unstitched?
Was the team's progress unraveling, or had there never been any cohesion keeping it intact from the beginning? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as manager during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were facing for financial irregularities. Reports that he might quit were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio became as messy in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the remaining initial five matches, featuring the derby della Capitale. Throughout this period, it's been difficult to ascertain if they are improving or collapsing.
The Youngster's Surprising Return
One individual continued to smile amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to remain with Lazio during this campaign. He was on last season on loan at Parma and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The transfer ban led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He signed in the first place during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old graduate of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, whose tenure ended after that campaign, later stated Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."
Discovering His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Billed as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for much of that season as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile at No 9. Across 63 games on loan at Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
