Matchday 10 brings the play-off round of the second leg, where a draw is decided and Fantasy points can fluctuate quickly.
With some sides chasing shortages and others striving to get the job done, picking the right players becomes even more important.
Here are our top picks for the upcoming UCL Fantasy round.
Please note: This article will be updated and finalized closer to Tuesday’s deadline.
GOALKEEPS
Tuesday offers several opportunities to keep a clean sheet, but Newcastle stands out. The Magpies maintained shutouts in half of their League Phase matches and then had to face a lean Qarabag side. With that in mind, Nick Pope (€5.0 million) could be a good option.
Budget doesn’t seem to be an issue at this point in the competition. So if Pope fails to keep a clean sheet, we can appeal Thibaut Courtois (€6.1 million). Los Blancos kept a shutout on matchday 9 and were able to repeat that at home for their second leg draw against Benfica.
DEFENDERS
PSG may have conceded in the first leg, but they showed exactly why their defenders are appealing. While Nuno Mendes (€6.3 million) failed to get an attacking return, teammate Ashraf Hakimi (€5.9 million) didn’t – he scored three goals for one of his teams. Both players have impressed offensively this season, so picking the pair for a home game against Monaco seems the safest choice.
Then Burns (€5.0m) completes Newcastle’s defensive double against Qarabag. Back-to-back assists in the Champions League and a goal in Matchday 4 show just how many routes to points Burn have in any given match.
One player who feels essential heading into Matchday 10 is fullback Alejandro Grimaldo (€6.2 million). The Spaniard not only scored a clean sheet in his previous match, but also registered his sixth attacking return of the Champions League season.
Complete the defense and start after a break in the first leg Federico Dimarco (€5.5 million). The Inter full-back has scored an impressive nine attacking goals in his previous five games, so going to a home game without him could be a missed opportunity.
MIDFIELDERS
An attacking double from Newcastle could be hugely useful this week. The Magpies beat Qarabag last time out, highlighting just how poor the Azerbaijani side is from a defensive perspective.
After his all-time high of 27 points last time, this could be extremely difficult to ignore Anthony Gordon (£7.1m), even though rotation carries a fair amount of risk. Perhaps a better option for this round is standalone Harvey Barnes (€6.9 million), who has already produced five goals and one assist in the Champions League this season. He was on the bench on Saturday, so he will probably be in the XI mid-week.
PSG’s home match against leaky Monaco could be a perfect opportunity to invest in attack. There’s no telling who will start the game, but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (€8.1 million) seems likely. The Georgian has played an important role for his side this season, showing both his assist and goal potential this season.
Only a small group of players have managed to match or better it Vinicius Junior (€9.5 million) in UCL Fantasy recently. The Real Madrid star has scored almost 30 points in his previous three appearances and goes into the match highly motivated.
Atletico Madrid received Club Brugge this week, a team that scored more than two goals per match away from home in the competition phase. After scoring three times in matchday 9, the Spanish side are more than capable offensively, and one of their best options is too Ademola Lookman (€7.0 million) who scored last time.
FORWARD
Club Brugge may be clever in attack, but as we already emphasized, it can be difficult at the back. With that in mind, and taking into account his criminal liability, Julian Alvarez (€9.1 million) could be an excellent option again this week.
Atalanta is capable of capitulating in defense, and the data supports that. The Italian side recently conceded over 5.0 xG (expected goals) in a league match, so Dortmund man Serhou Guirassy (€8.3m), who goes into the match having scored six goals in his previous four games, could once again have potential.
Kylian Mbappe (€11.0 million) is likely to remain essential. Although the Frenchman failed to score last time out, he has scored 14 attacking goals in just eight Champions League matches this season, showing just how explosive he can be.
UCL CONTEST 10 SCOUT PICKS
#UCL #Fantasy #Matchday #early #Scout #picks