Euro 2016: Round of 16 XI featuring Chelsea and Manchester City stars

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Centre-Attacking
Midfield: Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)

Of Belgium’s 25 efforts on goal in their 4-0 victory over the Magyars of Hungary, Manchester City’s attacking midfield man Kevin De Bruyne was behind seven of them. His fizzing first-half free-kick required the attentions of goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, before the midfield dynamo provided two of the four assists for Belgium’s goals.

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Alongside Eden Hazard, he looked one of the more deadly weapons in the Belgian armoury and helped lead the attack from the get-go. On the rare occasions when De Bruyne lost the ball, he made the effort to get back and win possession for his team, and the lift in his performance only serves as greater indication that a team so often judged for containing individual talent that can’t quite gel as a team, may just be readying itself to fulfil its potential.

Centre-Attacking
Midfield: Julian Draxler (Germany)

22-year-old Draxler has been touted as one of Europe’s best attacking midfielders ever since he burst onto the scene with Schalke as a teenager five years ago. Now at Wolfsburg, the youngster looks ever closer to being the finished product, his intelligent runs in behind pulling defenders out of position throughout Germany’s win over Slovakia, allowing Toni Kroos and Mesut Özil to roam forward.

His quality has enhanced in the final third also, assisting for Mario Gomez’s goal before his own well-taken strike on the volley for Germany’s third in their 3-0 triumph. After this good all-round performance, the youngster who was somewhat of a bit-part player at the 2014 World Cup now looks to be a huge part of Joachim Löw’s Germany team.

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Centre-Forward: Antoine Griezmann (France)

Atlético Madrid’s Griezmann was behind the Lyon rescue mission for Les Bleus in their Round of 16 showdown with the Republic of Ireland. Shocked by an early Irish penalty and going in at half-time to a 0-1 deficit and a crescendo of boos from their home supporters, Griezmann came alive for France in the second half with two clinically taken goals. He nodded in Bacary Sagna’s cross to equalise just before the hour mark, before smashing home the winner from Olivier Giroud’s flick-on just three minutes later.

As Ireland capitulated, the striker troubled goalkeeper Darren Randolph with further efforts on goal which he was able to keep out. It was France’s first victory in the knockout stages of a European Championships since their 2-1 triumph over Italy in the final of Euro 2000, and with Griezmann having seemingly rediscovered his ruthlessness in front of goal, the signs are there that France may just be coming together at their European showpiece.

Griezmann now moves joint level at the top of the Euro 2016 scoring charts with three, alongside Spain’s Álvaro Morata and Gareth Bale of Wales.

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Featured Image: All rights reserved by Ai Kagou