Euro 2020 Fantasy Football gameweek one preview

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TEAMtalk Fantasy Euros

We’re inviting you to play against us in the £1million FanTeam Euro 2020 Fantasy football tournament – and here’s everything you need to think about ahead of gameweek one.

With a minimum prize pool of £1million and a first-place prize of £200,000, FanTeam have put up the biggest ever prize pool for a Euros event. It’s £20 to enter, but even finishing in the top 10,000 will win you a pay-out of £30.

From captain choices to bargain budget options, we’ve put together a handy guide with everything you need to know going into gameweek one.

Read More: Our Team | A Player To Consider From Every Nation | Seven Mistakes To Avoid

 

Captain choices

A good start can mean absolutely everything in fantasy football, these are the players who we think would make a good gameweek one captain.

 

Romelu Lukaku (11.5m)

He scored in Belgium’s last warm-up match against Croatia, and Belgium have a decent first fixture against Russia, who have only kept one clean sheet in their last seven matches.

The striker will be spearheading an attack withDries Mertens, Eden Hazard and Yannick Carrasco so there should be plenty of goals.

Only Harry Kane scored more goals than Lukaku at Russia 2018 and we fancy him to be just as prolific this time around.

 

Memphis Depay (8.5m)

The Netherlands forward has a reasonable first fixture up against Andriy Shevchenko’s Ukraine.

Memphis has been categorised as a midfielder on the game, but there’s a good chance that he’ll be starting up front on the opening weekend.

He’s coming into the tournament in good goalscoring form with three goals in the two warm-up matches and he’s also expected to be on penalties.

 

Cristiano Ronaldo (10m)

Portugal have drawn the short straw and have ended up in the group of death with France and Germany, but their opening fixture is up against Hungary.

With such fierce competition in the group, a good start for Portugal is vital and who loves the big stage more than Cristiano Ronaldo?

He scored a hat-trick on the opening weekend of the 2018 World Cup against Spain and you wouldn’t back against him doing something similar in this fixture.

FanTeam Euros Gameweek 1

 

Who to avoid:

Sometimes it’s just best to go with your gut instinct, but there are some players that you should steer well away from for the opening gameweek…

 

Karim Benzema (10m)

The Frenchman was recalled to Didier Deschamps’ side for the first time in over five years this summer although after going off injured in France’s final warm-up game before the tournament gets going, he’s now a doubt for the game.

In his absence, Olivier Giroud scored a brace coming off the bench and is expected to lead the line for France against Germany.

 

Harry Maguire (6.5m)

England’s defenders in general are probably ones to avoid for the time being, especially with Maguire still building his fitness back up.

England have a fairly tough first game, a repeat of the World Cup semi-final against Croatia, and with an unsettled backline it could be a tricky game.

Gareth Southgate also has a decision to make at right-back, especially with Reece James and Kyle Walker not being involved in either of the warm-up matches.

 

Kevin De Bruyne (12.5m)

The Belgian playmaker limped off injured during the Champions League final and he’s expected to miss Belgium’s opener against Russia.

He might be one that you look to bring into your team once the group matches are over and he’s had a chance to build up his fitness.

FanTeam Euros scoring system

Budget options

As much as we’d all like to, we’re not able to completely fill our fantasy sides with world-class players and do need to look for those hidden gems.

Here are a few budget options to consider if your funds are running low.

 

Joakim Maehle (4.5m)

The Denmark full-back has a kind opening fixture up against Finland who have just lost to Estonia and Sweden without scoring a goal.

There’s a good chance he picks up a clean sheet bonus as he’s part of a structured defence that has kept four clean sheets in their last five matches.

He also has the potential to deliver some attacking returns and is a snip at only £4.5million.

 

Piotr Zieliński (5m)

Robert Lewandowski will no doubt be the Polish player most people look towards, but if anyone is going to be supplying him with the goals, Zieliński is the man to look at.

He tends to be the most advanced midfielder they use and scored in their last warm-up match against Iceland.

He’s coming off the back of a good individual season with Napoli and there will be plenty of chances for goals against Slovakia.

 

Roman Yaremchuk (5.5m)

He’s coming off the back of an excellent individual season with Gent after scoring 23 goals in all competitions and will be Ukraine’s main man this summer.

On paper, an opening fixture against the Netherlands looks tough, but without Virgil van Dijk they have been fairly leaky at the back.

Ukraine are coming into this one in decent goalscoring form, and with five goals in their two warm-up matches, Yaremchuk could prove to be a nice budget option.

FanTeam Euros rules

Overpriced players

These are some of the players that could well deliver this summer but at these prices you’d probably be wise to look elsewhere.

 

Raheem Sterling (12m)

Raheem Sterling is a favourite under Gareth Southgate and he might get plenty of minutes this summer, but £12million seems like a bit of a rip-off.

He’s not exactly coming off the back of the most prolific season with Manchester City, and after failing to score at the 2018 World Cup, he’s probably one to avoid.

With Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho all competing for a place, there are probably better options out there.

 

Eden Hazard (11m)

The Belgium winger has had a torrid time since moving to Madrid and has often struggled with injuries.

After scoring just four goals all season for Madrid, he’s not exactly coming into this summer in red-hot form.

His brother, Thorgan, could actually turn out to be the better option at £10.5million.

 

Timo Werner (9.5m)

He was the bane of FPL managers lives throughout this last season and you probably don’t want that stress again this summer.

He’s also not a nailed-on starter with Germany as Thomas Müller has been given the nod over him recently.

 

Sign up and enter your team before 8pm on Friday when Turkey and Italy get the Euros underway for your chance to win £200,000 – and, more importantly, beat us.

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