Dugout Discussion

Lukaku and Coutinho the Fantasy favourites for Belgium v Brazil clash

A mouth-watering quarter-final, unquestionably the tie of the round, takes place this evening as Brazil and Belgium meet in Kazan.

The Selecao could so easily have been playing Japan tonight, after Belgium’s near-miss in the round of 16.

Philippe Coutinho (£9.2m) remains the most popular buy in the McDonald’s FIFA World Cup game, despite blanking in the 2-0 win over Mexico. Well over half (59%) of Fantasy bosses own the Barcelona playmaker, who has had more shots on goal than any midfielder at this year’s tournament.

Marcelo (£6.5m), previously the most-owned Fantasy asset in the World Cup group stage but now selected by 30% of McDonald’s FIFA bosses, returns to the Brazil side this evening after sitting out the last-16 victory over Mexico with a back spasm.

Centre-back Thiago Silva (£6.1m), who has three clean sheets and a goal to his name already, finds himself in 26.9% of Fantasy squads.

Neymar (£12.0m) has recovered from his touchline assault in the Mexico match to take his place in Brazil’s starting XI tonight. The Paris Saint-Germain forward has picked up some of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s former owners and now sits in just over a quarter of Fantasy squads. No player has had more shots than the Brazil striker at this year’s World Cup.

Romelu Lukaku (£10.1m) has been usurped by Harry Kane as the most popular forward in the McDonald’s FIFA game but is still owned by over a third of all Fantasy managers (33.5%). Eden Hazard is priced identically to Lukaku yet has less than half of the Manchester United striker’s owners, despite scoring more points (22 to 21) than his fellow Belgian forward.

Thomas Meunier (£6.0m) is living up to his pre-tournament billing as a must-have defender, having supplied two assists in his three World Cup appearances to date. The cavalier wing-back, who is owned by 10.3% of Fantasy managers, is one yellow card away from suspension, however.

Chelsea custodian Thibault Courtois (£6.0m) is in just under a quarter of Fantasy squads, having kept two clean sheets and registered save points in his other two appearances so far.

Both goalkeepers can expect a busy time this evening: Brazil (77) and Belgium (76) have attempted more shots than any other country at the 2018 World Cup to date.

Brazil (4-3-3): Alisson; Fagner, Silva, Miranda, Marcelo; Paulinho, Fernandinho, Coutinho; Willian, Jesus, Neymar

Belgium (3-4-2-1): Courtois; Alderweireld, Kompany, Vertonghen; Meunier, Fellaini, Witsel, Chadli; De Bruyne, Hazard; Lukaku

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798 Comments Post a Comment
  1. tm245
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Jesus and Willian off but I still have my best Brazil attacker Miranda out there.

    1. JJeyy
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Jesus is on

      1. tm245
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Costa replaced him.

  2. MrZ
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Still no yellow cards for diving.... Do fifa want to give oscar to them??

    1. F4L
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      they know Neymar is massive for bringing in the fans , don't want him banned

      1. the axolotl
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        yeah otherwise nobody would watch the world cup semi final

        1. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          😀

      2. CaTriEm
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        There have been constant dives throughout the World Cup and I can only remember one booking given for it. Referees have definitely been told to be lax about it for some reason.

      3. MrZ
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Make sense.

    2. Fantastisk
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Oscar didn't make the squad.

  3. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Fellaini has Coutinho in his pocket

  4. F4L
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Fellaini has actually been really solid for Belgium this WC

  5. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Neymar complaining hazard went down too easy

  6. Richd
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    OMG GRIEZMANN!!! This 4K tv is so good. France hold!!

    1. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Cave writing ? Dial-up is way too fast

  7. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    I forgot they had Costa!

    1. Richd
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Is he a good diver ?

      1. EmreCan Hustle
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        No, but he's good at football

  8. Chenku╰☆╮
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    This game is so over.. I am going out for a walk now.

  9. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Annoys me when commentators don't have the facility to explore other options or just admit that they might not know the reason why something has happened. Not knowing something is still a legitimate and intriguing angle to take, guys 🙂

  10. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Fernandinho is having a shocker

  11. tm245
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    So close. That is a hell of a front three on the counter.

  12. FPL ZB
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Can’t believe we let Belgium have the easy half of the draw..

  13. Fred54
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Kompany's moonwalk clearance deserves a GIF.

  14. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Jesus didn't even make 60 min

  15. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Kept faith with Courtios 😎

  16. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Lucas Moura might be an interesting option at the beginning of the season for Spurs - no Son.

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Why no Son?

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Asian Games

    2. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Lamela though? And also Alli after any rest he might take? Potential for 3 at the back if the Belgian CBs can hack it?

    3. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Maybe but they will have lots of away fixtures at the start while they put the finishing touches on White Hearth Lane which may come against them right?

    4. CloudSky
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Not Lamela?

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Need to keep an eye on pre-season. But Poch signed Moura so has to have a chance.

  17. the snazzy viking
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Jimenez or Reid?

    Reid - 21 goals for Bristol City in the champ last season (I'm a Rovers fan but I forgive him now as he seems like a nice bloke), but will Cardiff score goals?

    Jimenez - Mexico international who signed from Benfica this summer, I presumed he was previously a second choice striker as he has 18 goals with 20 apps and 60 sub apps for them in the last 3 seasons

    edging towards Reid at the mo

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Reid plays for a Warnock managed team, though.

      1. the snazzy viking
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        true

        Reid seems he'd arguably be more involved in the goals for Cardiff but won't score as many as Wolves

        Jimenez seems like he'd nick a few but I don't think he'll be as involved for Wolves compared to Jota, Cavaleiro, Costa, Bonatini, etc., but I think Wolves will score more than Cardiff for sure

  18. tm245
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    I think I accidentally activated Minimum Captain, almost all my players are blanking.

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Me too.

  19. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Haha, Neymar was about to launch into a break dance routine and had second thoughts 😀

    1. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Did spin around like Teenage Ninja Turtle..

  20. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Neymar fake injury incoming

  21. Patch
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Brazil weakest football team I have seen, I reckon Stoke could beat them

    1. MrZ
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Pulis's stoke will crush them

    2. Patch
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Courtouis looks bored as feck

      1. Patch
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Woohoo nearly brought meunier in...

  22. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Looks like four European sides in the sem's. Anyone know if that's a first?

    1. Forza Papac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      semi's*

    2. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      2010 WC?

      1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Uruguay?

      2. Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Negative. Uruguay lost to Netherlands in semi

      3. Forza Papac
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Uruguay made it to the semi's that year.

    3. Fantastisk
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      2016.

      1. Forza Papac
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        I see what you did there.

    4. Longlatini
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      The last South American team to win the World Cup was Brazil but it was quite a while ago

      1. Longlatini
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        *In Europe lol

    5. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      It was 2006: France, Portugal, Italy and Germany.

      1. Fred54
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        That was lastest one also happened in 1982 and 1934.

        1. Forza Papac
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Good info. Cheers 🙂

  23. Epic Fail
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    That ball to the head could have killed Witsel. How is he even still on the pitch?

    1. the axolotl
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      i think the afro cushioned it enough for him to survive it, just

      1. Epic Fail
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Very lucky lad. Afros should be compulsory in football.

  24. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Love games like this where Underdogs get a lead and then it's just an attacking onslaught from the favs

  25. tm245
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Lukaku too fast there.

  26. CloudSky
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    You cant be more Lukaku than this...

  27. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    There's the touch we know and love 🙂

  28. MrZ
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Lukaku thinks he's usain bolt 😀

  29. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Keep on running Romelu

  30. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Meunier out of SF.