9 things every Dream Team Euros gaffer needs to know before tournament begins

WITH just two days until Germany and Scotland get proceedings underway, Dream Team Euros managers should be close to a confirmed XI.

Before you lock in you strategy for Matchday 1 once and for all, we want to ensure you’re fully clued up on the game rules and format.

Here’s nine things you need to know before the action kicks off…

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Dream TeamEvery manager should be fully prepared for the Euros… especially you, Gareth![/caption]

1. Penalty shootouts don’t count

No points will be scored during penalty shootouts once the tournament reaches the knockout stages.

This means your goalkeepers won’t earn points for any saves they make in shootouts and your outfield players won’t be rewarded with a goal if they convert a spot-kick after extra time (or penalised for a miss).

Penalties during normal time and extra time will count as normal.

All scoring stops at the end of extra time – just like in our season fantasy game.

2. Player prices will not change during the tournament

In our season fantasy game, player prices fluctuate based on each individual’s form but that’s not the case in our Euros fantasy game.

Every single player will remain at the same price no matter how many (or few) points they earn.

AFPPenalty shootouts don’t impact Dream Team Euros – which is handy for those backing England…[/caption]

3. There are just seven Matchdays in total

Matchdays effectively work the same way as Gameweeks in our season fantasy game.

Each Matchday, a term also used by Uefa, represents a different ’round’ of the tournament.

Matchday 1 – first round of group fixtures (12 games)

Matchday 2 – second round of groups fixtures (12 games)

Matchday 3 – third round of group fixtures (12 games)

Matchday 4 – round of 16 fixtures (8 games)

Matchday 5 – quarter-finals (4 games)

Matchday 6 – semi-finals (2 games)

Matchday 7 – final (1 game)

To be absolutely clear, the tournament is 31 days long but only seven Matchdays long.

If in doubt, consult the Match Centre.

4. Transfer allocation

Now you know the exact definition of a Matchday, familiarise yourself with the transfer allocation for each stage of the tournament.

Matchday 1 – unlimited transfers (prior to deadline)

Matchday 2 – three transfers

Matchday 3 – three transfers

Matchday 4 – unlimited transfers (before round of 16)

Matchday 5 – five transfers

Matchday 6 – five transfers

Matchday 7 – five transfers

Channel your inner Didier Deschamps to take your XI deep into the tournamentAFP

5. The deadline for each Matchday is one hour before the first fixture

Make sure your team is set up in advance of each Matchday deadline.

Germany v Scotland kicks off at 8pm on Friday to get Matchday 1 underway which means you should have your XI locked in for the entire first round of group games by 7pm.

The deadline for Matchday 2 is 1pm on Wednesday June 19th as that’s one hour before Croatia v Albania – the first fixture of the second round of group games.

And so on.

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6. Each Booster can only be played once and never in combination with another

Each of your three Boosters lasts the duration of one Matchday and since they can only be played one at a time, you’ll have a Booster active in three of the seven Matchdays overall.

Here’s a reminder of each Booster’s effect:

Goal Bonus – each goal scored by your players earns TEN points (instead of the usual six)

12th Man – select an additional player from any position for free to score points for your team

Max Captain – the player who earns the most points for your team will automatically be selected as captain, doubling their score

Goal Bonus, you say?AP

7. Goals are worth six points and assists are worth three points

Attacking returns are more valuable than ever with an extra point for each goal and assist compared to previous Dream Team fantasy games.

We’ve also improved the bonus point system for goalkeepers.

More information on scoring, bonus points and player performance marks here.

8. Your formation will automatically adapt to your player selections

If you initially opted for a 4-3-3 formation but later decide you want to switch to 3-4-3 then simply transfer out a defender and replace them with a midfielder – your formation will automatically change to accommodate your new recruit.

As long as you’ve got at least three defenders, three midfielders and one striker, any formation you select will be valid.

9. Beware unavailable players!

We tried our best to predict the final squads for all 24 nations at the tournament well in advance of the deadline so that you could start tinkering with your XI as early as possible.

While we correctly identified the vast majority of selected players, we obviously didn’t get it 100% correct – it’s impossible to predict late injury pullouts.

It goes without saying that you should stay clear of the players who didn’t make the final cut at all costs – Jack Grealish, Francesco Acerbi, Frenkie de Jong, etc.

Additionally, it you should endeavour to avoid injured players.

Dominik Szoboszlai, Robert Lewandowski, Luke Shaw and Nicolo Barella are among the high-profile names currently considered unavailable or doubtful for Matchday 1.

Please be aware the warning icons that appear next to player names in app and on site are advisory only – it’s always best to seek out more specific updates.

If you’re still unsure of anything, you can read the full game rules here.

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