The 11 fantasy football surprises for the round of 16 of Euro 2024:
Oblak
Grimaldo – Pepe – Stones
Baumgartner – Gallagher – Freuler – Schouten
Schranz – Akturkoglü – Weghorst
OBLAK (Slovenia): Slovenia start as clear underdogs, but their ability to keep up with England’s attacking package could be a sign of a complicated match for Portugal.
GRIMALDO (Spain): Cucurella should start from the start, but during the match he can have his say and provide an additional source of play on the left.
PEPPER (Portugal): eternal leader of the Portuguese, he is the player that Portugal needs in this type of match, for his charisma and experience.
STONES (England): The partnership with Guehi seems to be working. He is probably the only irreplaceable defender in this England, for his ability to set up play. Against a low Slovakia he could be more involved in the maneuver.
BAUMGARTNER (Austria): very underrated player, who is giving Austria an extra edge in the attacking midfield. Turkey plays well forward, but often concedes a little too much behind.
GALLAGHER (England): After Alexander-Arnold’s experiment in midfield, Southgate has relied on him, showing a greater predisposition to play in front of the defence. England are struggling in the offensive zone, perhaps a hand could come from him.
FREULER (Switzerland): the dynamism in the middle of the pitch is one of the best qualities of an excellent Switzerland, with the midfielders often interchanging and not providing reference points.
SCHOUTEN (Holland): He and Reijnders are among the positive points of this Holland, and very often they take turns breaking away from the midfield to look for central routes.
SCHRANZ (Slovakia): While it is true that Slovakia does not make offensive plays their main quality, it is also true that their current form can give them some goal-scoring opportunities.
ACTURKOGLÜ (Turkey): Against Austria we expect a game played at a high pace, which could take away some energy during the match. Substitutions could be crucial, and he has shown that he can come in well during the game.
WEGHORST (Holland): when he enters he can always be a danger. Depay is not shining, and his contribution could be indispensable for the quarter-finals