Cancellieri Displays Brief Sparks of Genius in Silver Lining for Struggling Lazio

The feeling at the Stadio Olimpico was far from happy this past Saturday. The home side was losing against Torino, a side that had allowed ten goals while scoring only two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their latest protest in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.

A Season Unraveling?

Was Lazio's season unraveling, or did there exist any cohesion holding it together in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he publicly stated that the board had omitted to inform him about the transfer ban they were facing for fiscal problems. Rumours that he might quit were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "misled" him.

Lazio were just as chaotic during matches as they were off it, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but losing the rest of their opening fixtures, which included the capital clash. From one game to the next, observers have struggled to tell if they are improving or imploding.

Matteo's Unforeseen Comeback

One individual kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He spent the last one with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his parent club were attempting to remain there temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. They were unable to thin their squad with no new signings.

Cancellieri arrived originally during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances for Lazio in that campaign, almost all of those coming off the bench. The ex- sporting director, Igli Tare, who left following that term, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri was destined for stardom then never playing him."

Discovering His Best Role

Maybe Sarri was continuing to attempt to determine the specific characteristics of the player's talent. Originally described as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn