Euro 2024 Fantasy: Heroic Gakpo + Demiral, differential Malen

The Round of 16 concluded with a couple of Tuesday matches. So here are the Euro 2024 Fantasy notes from Romania v Netherlands and Austria v Turkey.

• READ MORE: Tuesday’s goals, assists, Player of the Match awards + stats

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ROMANIA 0-3 NETHERLANDS

HAULS FOR GAKPO + MALEN

In the best Dutch display so far, big scores from Cody Gakpo (€7.5m) and Donyell Malen (€6.9m) booked them a Saturday quarter-final clash with Turkey.

The deadlock was broken in the 20^th minute when Xavi Simons (€7.0m) picked out Gakpo, allowing Liverpool’s attacker to cut inside from the left and fire a right-footed shot past Florin Nita (€4.0m), who was disappointed to be beaten at his near post.

A second Gakpo strike was ruled out for offside but Fantasy owners didn’t have time to get too downbeat. He proceeded to set up Malen’s tap-in by brilliantly keeping the ball in play.

So it’s a goal, assist and Player of the Match award that takes the forward up to 27 points. Joint-top scorer of these Euros, combine his stats with the 2022 World Cup and you’ll find he’s netted six times in nine tournament matches.

Joint-fourth for chances created (11) and the best for setting up big ones (four), he’s the obvious candidate for those looking to replace a now-eliminated Romelu Lukaku (€9.0m).

Overall, the Netherlands accumulated 17 penalty area shots but – until two late goals – had a frustrating lack of cutting edge. Memphis Depay (€7.5m) was responsible for four shots and five chances created. Then Joey Veerman’s (€6.4m) effort narrowly missed the far corner.

At least they had half-time substitute Malen around to seal the win. After coming on for Steven Bergwijn (€7.0m), he followed the close-range goal with a stoppage-time solo counter-attack that eventually sent Nita the wrong way. In 45 minutes, he racked up 1.20 expected goals (xG) and could be an intriguing differential.

CLEAN SHEET JOY

Meanwhile, one of the closest attempts came from Virgil van Dijk (€6.0m). His header from a corner grazed the post but owners can console themselves with a clean sheet. As can those with the similarly popular Nathan Ake (€5.5m) and Bart Verbruggen (€4.5m).

Ronald Koeman is yet to settle on a right-sided combination and his latest line-up brought Denzel Dumfries (€5.5m) back into the fold. The attacking full-back was constantly dangerous in Munich, creating two chances and taking seven touches in the box. A late yellow card limited him to a five-point tally.

As for Ake, an onside Gakpo would’ve seen him register a third tournament assist.

AUSTRIA 1-2 TURKEY

DEFENDER DEMIRAL DOUBLE

Dark horses Austria topped the Netherlands’ group that also contained France. However, there won’t be a quick rematch thanks to the two goals of Turkish centre-back Merih Demiral (€4.5m). Unsurprisingly named Player of the Match, he takes home a whopping 20 points.

All three goals in this superb encounter came from corners – the first one after just 57 seconds. Arda Guler’s (€6.9m) set piece snuck all the way through to an Austrian defender on the line, where brief hesitancy allowed Demiral to intervene. Slightly before the hour mark, he rose high to head home another Guler delivery.

Making Turkey’s win even more impressive is that it happened without the suspended Hakan Calhanoglu (€6.5m). Although he returns for the quarter-final, it’ll be the turn of Orkun Kokcu (€6.0m) and Ismail Yuksek (€5.0m) to miss out.

SABITZER, BAUMGARTNER + POSCH OUT

Demiral’s second came as a sucker punch to Ralf Rangnick’s side, who thrashed Turkey 6-1 in March. Michael Gregoritsch (€6.4m) bagged a hat-trick that day and, after being brought on at half-time, helped them react relentlessly.

His 66^th-minute consolation set up a grandstand finale but, despite having far more chances overall, the team’s 2.76 xG ultimately meant nothing.

Christoph Baumgartner (€6.6m) had numerous attempts, plus an early occasion where he was agonisingly close to reaching a corner. Instead, he collided with the post.

But perhaps the match’s most memorable long-term moment occurred in the very last minute of stoppage time. Baumgartner powerfully headed the ball downwards, only to see Mert Gunok (€4.4m) somehow pull off an incredible, absurd save. With that, the final whistle brought deafening roars from the Turkish fans, as their exhausted players simultaneously collapsed to the turf.

Yet none of their Fantasy assets currently have over 2% ownership. Instead, we’re losing Marcel Sabitzer (€6.6m), who racked up three shots on the night.

Furthermore, the great underlying numbers of right-back Stefan Posch (€4.5m) have been eliminated. He ended the group stage as the best defender for attempts (five) and shots on target (three), before having two more efforts here – both inside the box.

This contributed to an expected goal involvement (xGI) of 1.11, as did the assist for Gregoritsch and a total of six chances created, three of which were deemed to be big. He departs this tournament as the leading defender in many attacking areas.

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