Matteo Cancellieri Displays Brief Sparks of Genius in Positive Aspect for Struggling Lazio
The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy this past Saturday. Lazio were trailing against Torino, a team that had allowed ten goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were finishing their latest protest in an ongoing feud with chairman Claudio Lotito.
The Campaign Falling Apart?
Had their campaign falling apart, or did there exist any cohesion maintaining its structure in the first place? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri to lead the team in the summer transfer window, before he admitted that the board had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for financial irregularities. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "misled" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic during matches as they were off it, beating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their initial five matches, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if they're getting better or imploding.
Matteo's Unforeseen Return
At least one man kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to be at Lazio this year. He was on last season at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, his parent club were advocating for him to stay there for another season. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. Lazio could not afford to thin their squad lacking backup options.
Cancellieri arrived originally during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He made 20 Serie A appearances in Lazio colors in the 2022-23 season, all but one of those as a substitute. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed following that term, later stated Sarri of "informing all Cancellieri had superstar potential but then not selecting him."
Finding His Best Role
It's possible the coach was still trying to determine the specific characteristics of his skill set. Labeled as an attacking winger when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an unconvincing alternative to Ciro Immobile at No 9. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma during recent campaigns, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
