5 Players who need to perform really well at the UEFA Euro 2016
Euro 2016 is just around the corner and not before long our favorite footballing superstars will shed their club attires, don their national colors and aim to lead their teams to European glory. A few surprise teams have managed to qualify(Iceland, N.Ireland) and few big teams have failed to make the cut(Netherlands, Denmark).
Now with most of the provisional squads being announced by the team managers, there were surprise inclusions as well as some mind puzzling exclusions. For the lucky few who have managed to get a call-up and most probably a ticket to France, this isn’t just another International Tournament.
It is their proving ground, not just for the tournament, but also for their clubs in the on-coming season. Some need to justify their starting-XI inclusions and others who are seeking new clubs, need to prove their mettle for their suitors.
These people haven’t exactly had the best of seasons with neither a good amount of goals or assists to their name. It’s now or never for them. The whole world will have their eyes on them and another faulty step could derail their international as well as club careers.
So, let us take a look at five such players who need to up the ante...
Note: This is based on the provisional squads and players may or may not make it to the final roster.
5) Arda Turan
Signing for a club which is banned from fielding new player for another six months is something most players would not agree to, but the Turkish wide man chose to go on that path which involved missing six months of football at the prime of his career.
Before signing for the Blaugrana, Turan was a vital cog in Diego Simone’s hard working Atletico side. His return of 2 goals and 4 assists in 25 appearances is more or less the same like his last year for the Rojiblancos but 12 of those appearances have come off the bench.
This clearly shows Enriques’ reluctance to disturb a winning combination. Luis Enrique has preferred the young Sergi Roberto in place of him. Also, Turan’s natural position is a winger but he has often been forced to play in a more central role due to the MSN trident which clearly has curbed his freedom.
With time and patience running out, Turan will have to give it all for Turkey in France. Offers from China have already started coming and if Turan cannot carry his heroics from the qualifiers to the finals, Luis Enrique might dip into the market again for replacements.