/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2023/02/03/3543096-72209088-2560-1440.jpg?resize=150,150)
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2023/02/03/3543057-72208308-2560-1440.jpg?resize=150,150)
For those Fantasy managers planning to play the Limitless chip on Matchday 6, UEFA.com recommends a potential high-value squad.
Assets from all four semi-finalists feature in the suggested Matchday 6 Limitless squad, with particularly high representation from England and Italy.
Goalkeepers
A strong defensive performance from Roberto Mancini’s Italy took them into the semi-finals courtesy of a 2-1 win against Belgium in Munich. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma (€5.8m) played his part with a couple of vital saves and it took a Romelu Lukaku penalty to beat him. With three clean sheets and just two goals conceded across the tournament so far, the Azzurri stopper earns a place in the squad with Mancini’s side set to face Spain at Wembley.
Should Italy concede and Donnarumma fail to accrue enough Fantasy points for your liking, then England’s Jordan Pickford (€5.8m) should prove the ideal goalkeeper to substitute in. The Three Lions star is yet to concede a goal at the tournament, racking up five successive clean sheets for a total of 31 Fantasy points, comfortably the most of any goalkeeper thus far.
Defenders
When taking into account the incredible form of England’s rearguard, it would be wise to at least double up on their defence for Matchday 6. Both Luke Shaw (€6.2m) and Harry Maguire (€5.6m) not only provide a high chance of clean-sheet points against Denmark, but have also proved to be huge offensive threats, with Shaw picking up three assists across England’s last two matches and Maguire finding the net in the quarter-final victory over Ukraine.
Denmark’s Joakim Mæhle (€4.9m) also continues to make waves from an offensive perspective, gaining an assist against the Czech Republic in the last eight to add to the two goals the left wing-back scored across Matchdays 3 and 4. A total of 25 Fantasy points accrued over the past three matchdays makes Mæhle an obvious selection.
Despite the tinkering of head coach Luis Enrique, Aymeric Laporte (€6.3m) has maintained his place in Spain’s starting line-up throughout EURO 2020 and will be looking to add to the two clean sheets his defence have kept over the course of the competition, with solidity likely to be prioritised in what could prove a tense semi-final. On the opposite side, Italy centre-back Leonardo Bonucci (€5.7m) takes his place in the squad after an excellent performance in their quarter-final win against Belgium in which he was unlucky to have a goal ruled out for offside early on.
Midfielders
With a significant injury doubt over Spain’s Pablo Sarabia, there is a place for Dani Olmo (€7.2m) in the Limitless squad alongside team-mate Ferran Torres (€8.2m). The two midfielders have registered two goals and three assists between them so far in the tournament, Olmo’s two assists coming in his most recent start against Croatia in the round of 16. With Spain’s starting line-up set to be revealed before the Fantasy deadline, Olmo can always be transferred out should Sarabia recover in time.
Another midfield duo also make the cut in the form of Italian widemen Lorenzo Insigne (€8.6m) and Federico Chiesa (€7.2m). Insigne scored his first goal since the opening night of EURO 2020 in the quarter-finals, picking up eight Fantasy points. Although Chiesa failed to register an attacking return, the winger was a threat throughout and both are likely to start either side of a central striker against Spain. Should Chiesa not be selecetd, he can be switched out prior to the deadline for likely replacement Domenico Berardi once the Azzurri’s starting XI is revealed.
Rounding off the midfield is the joint-highest Fantasy points scorer of all the players still in the competition. Raheem Sterling (€9.8m) has three goals, one assist and an impressive total of 33 points to his name over the course of his five EURO 2020 appearances. The England man is expected to play a key role once more against Denmark having established himself as an essential Fantasy asset.
Forwards
Having emphatically rediscovered his scoring form, striker Harry Kane (€11.6m) is an automatic selection for the Limitless squad. A double against Ukraine made it three goals and 16 points across the last two matchdays for the England captain. With Denmark having kept just one clean sheet in five EURO 2020 matches, another significant Kane points haul could be on the cards.
With the maximum allocation of five England players now selected in the Limitless squad, the selection of forward Ciro Immobile (€10.2m) takes the total number of Italian players up to five as well. Roberto Mancini is expected to keep faith in the Lazio striker despite no attacking returns since Matchday 2. Immobile has nevertheless proved to be a more than capable Fantasy option with two goals, one assist and 16 Fantasy points in Italy’s opening two group games. With budget not an issue with the Limitless chip, Immobile’s premium price is not a factor.
Completing the allocation of forwards is Álvaro Morata (€9.1m), who should form the focal point of Spain’s offensive gameplan in the first semi-final. With a limited number of options available among forwards remaining in the competition, Morata looks like the best option to fill complete the front line against an Italy side who have conceded in both their knockout games so far.
