Matteo Cancellieri Shows Flashing Moments of Brilliance in Silver Lining for Struggling Lazio

The feeling at Lazio's home ground was far from happy during the weekend fixture. The home side was losing against Torino, an opponent that had allowed 10 goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were finishing their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.

The Campaign Coming Unstitched?

Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever any cohesion keeping it intact to start with? Lazio reinstated Maurizio Sarri as head coach this summer, before he to later acknowledge that the club had not mentioned a registration embargo they were set to be hit with for accounting issues. Rumours that he could resign were not true, but he stated that Lotito had "swindled" him.

The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but being defeated in their other initial five matches, including the Rome derby. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to tell if they're getting better or collapsing.

Cancellieri's Unexpected Return

At least one man kept smiling through it. Matteo Cancellieri had not been expected to feature for Lazio this season. He spent the last one on loan at Parma and, during the summer break, his parent club were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo necessitated a reconsideration. The club couldn't risk to thin their squad lacking backup options.

He signed initially during Sarri's previous tenure, back then just 20 years old product of Verona's academy. He recorded 20 matches in the league for Lazio in that campaign, the vast majority of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who departed at the end of that season, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri was destined for stardom but then not selecting him."

Discovering His Best Role

Maybe Sarri was persistently working to identify the nature of his skill set. Labeled as an attacking winger on arrival, Cancellieri yet was deployed for the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. During 63 outings while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn