EURO Fantasy managers without a captaincy haul in the last 16 must turn to relative differentials on Tuesday.
Only five players from England v Germany and Sweden v Ukraine have more than 11% ownership in UEFA’s version of the game, and three of those play in defence for their respective teams.
One of those is John Stones (€5.7m), who has displayed potential for returns at both ends of the pitch.
England remain the only side at EURO 2020 yet to let in a goal and they also have the tournament’s lowest expected goals conceded score (1.33).
Meanwhile, Stones has more shots in the box than any Three Lions defender over their first three matches.
For all the criticism of their back-line, Germany’s defensive statistics at EURO 2020 have shown some potential for a clean sheet on Tuesday evening, which is good news for those in possession of the 18%-owned Robin Gosens (€5.4m).
Despite facing France, Portugal and a spirited Hungary side, Joachim Löw’s men have conceded just four big chances thus far (joint fourth-best) while no team has given up fewer shots inside the box thus far.
Left wing-back Gosens’ total of four shots on target after three matches is the joint-most of any German player. However, backing the Atalanta man does come with a risk as Löw described him as an injury doubt for Tuesday, along with Ilkay Gündogan (€7.5m) and Antonio Rüdiger (€5.5m).
🗣 Joachim Löw: "Robin Gosens and Antonio Rüdiger caught a cold. They haven't felt so well so we took some blood samples and there are small infections. I don't know if these players will be at our disposal. I can't say it yet but we will have other solutions."#EUROFantasy pic.twitter.com/NTN7z4DVe0
— Fantasy Football Scout (@FFScout) June 29, 2021
Backed by 22% of EURO Fantasy managers, right-sided counter-part Joshua Kimmich (€6.4m) will be the most fashionable Fantasy asset at Wembley today.
His midfield classification will dampen the impact of any clean sheet for Germany but he is their most creative player of the tournament, with six key passes.
Between the two Wembley-bound opponents, out-of-position option Kai Havertz (€9.2m) is top for shots in the box; his total of seven bested by 10 other players at this tournament so far.
The Chelsea man has been afforded three big chances, the same number as Raheem Sterling (€9.7m), who has scored 19 points to his 15 after the first three matches.
By contrast, Sweden and Ukraine’s respective defences have been somewhat obliging.
Of teams left in the tournament, only Switzerland (37), Belgium (30) and the Czech Republic (29) have conceded more shots in the box than Sweden, who have played one less game.
Ukraine’s total of 26 means they are just behind Sweden in that respect.
Penalty-taking midfielder Emil Forsberg (€7.9m) has more points than any Sweden or Ukraine player ahead of this fixture and has the joint-most big chances among his colleagues thus far.
Meanwhile, Andriy Yarmolenko (€8.7m), Roman Yaremchuk (€7.5m) and Ruslan Malinovskyi (€7.0m) all have four shots on target after their first three matches. Just six players at EURO 2020 have registered more than that, each of whom has played a match more.
Our Euro 2020 Fantasy coverage
BEST PLAYERS
Group A: Turkey | Italy | Wales | Switzerland
Group B: Denmark | Finland | Belgium | Russia
Group C: Netherlands | Ukraine | Austria | North Macedonia
Group D: England | Croatia | Scotland | Czech Republic
Group E: Spain | Sweden | Poland | Slovakia
Group F: Hungary | Portugal | France | Germany
BY POSITION: Goalkeepers | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards
2 years, 10 months agoThe state of that England XI... England don't deserve all those good players sitting on the sideline.