The European Championship is setting up for a grand finish. It is now that stage of the tournament where some of the favourites must say their farewells, but it is clear that none of the remaining eight sides will go down without a fight.

There are currently seven Barcelona players still alive in the competition across four different international outfits. Adding Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix to the count, whose loan deals expired recently, takes the number to nine.

With Spain set to take on Germany and Portugal locking horns with France, Barcelona will lose significant representation for the semifinal. It will thus be a fascinating battle when the four heavyweights face off for a place in the next round later this week.

Leading the way

Most of the Barcelona players on duty with their national teams do not serve just to make up numbers but are critical to their teams’ success as starters.

In fact, three of the top ten players to have created the most chances from open play are from the Catalan club.

Pedri, with ten chances created, sits in third place only behind Cody Gakpo and Ferdi Kadioglu who have eleven apiece. Jules Kounde also matches that number operating as a right-back for Didier Deschamps’ France.

Kounde excelling at right-back for France. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

The third Barcelona player on the list, unsurprisingly, is Lamine Yamal. The 16-year-old has created eight chances from open play so far and has lit the right flank on fire for Spain.

Also on the list are Barcelona targets Joshua Kimmich and Xavi Simons on ten and eight respectively, N’Golo Kante on nine and Adrien Rabiot on eight.

A clash for the ages

The quarterfinals of the prestigious event are swiftly approaching, and one clash appears to be attracting attention significantly more than others.

Spain and Germany, the two teams that have shone brighter than any other so far in the tournament, face off against one another on Friday night and it is clear that the victor will be one of the favourites to go all the way.

Pedri and Yamal, who will be up against club teammate Ilkay Gundogan, will look to step up and further improve their ranking on the aforementioned list with special performances against the host nation.