Champions League Picks – Matchday 4

There’s just a few hours left until Matchday 4 of this term’s Champions League matches gets underway, with this evening’s deadline at 19.30 GMT. For those playing the official UEFA Fantasy Champions League, we bring you a total of 10 players worth considering over Tuesday and Wednesday, with five potential picks for each of the two evening’s fixtures: Please also be aware that tomorrow’s deadline is 16.45 GMT, due to the early kick-off between Zenit and Porto: (missing the deadline last gameweek cost me 31 points on my bench!!!)

Tuesday

Franck Ribery – with Arjen Robben left out of Bayern’s trip to Viktoria Plzen due to a groin injury, we’re opting for the Frenchman to wreak havoc on the flank and help steer the champions into the knockout stages. At 11.0, Ribery is far from cheap but given that he bagged a brace and subsequent 13-point haul against the same opponents in the previous Matchday, his potential for returns looks enticing.

Alex Teixeira – the attacking midfielder’s contribution will be key as Shakhtar seek to avenge a 4-0 humbling at the hands of Leverkusen last time around. Teixeira – at just 5.5 – has so far found the net twice in this season’s tournament and if the previous game against the German club is anything to go by, tonight’s rematch in the Ukraine looks set to be a wide-open contest.

Zoran Tosic – the 5.0 priced former United midfielder rolls up to the Etihad with CSKA this evening in strong form. Tosic has already notched six times this term and has netted in each of the previous two Matchdays – the Russians posed plenty problems for Manuel Pellegrini’s side last time around and could well give them a scare again.

Vladimir Weiss – another midfielder who once plied their trade in Manchester. Weiss is available for a budget 4.0 and has already opened his account for Olympiacos against PSG in the Group C opener – team-mate Kostas Mitroglou comes in at 6.0 and has scored 17 goals in 12 matches so far this season.

Marquinos – a home clash with Anderlecht affords PSG the chance to rack up a third clean sheet in four this evening. The visitors are without top scorer Matias Suarez for the rest of the season, enhancing the hosts chances of further defensive returns – Marquinos, at 5.5, has scored twice in this year’s tournament, while the similarly priced left-back Maxwell looks an equally tempting shout, with two goals and a pair of assists in the league thus far.

Wednesday

Roman Shirokov – recently recovered from a groin injury, the Zenit midfielder has been key to his side’s league displays this season. The 6.5 priced Shirokov has produced five goals and five assists in just eight appearances and entertains Porto tomorrow evening, with the Russian side looking to do the double over their opponents after prevailing 1-0 in Portugal last time around.

Diego Costa – the Atletico Madrid forward found the net yet again at the weekend and has now scored 13 times in 12 La Liga appearances for Diego Simeone’s side. Costa looks a bargain at just 9.0 and entertains Austria Vienna tomorrow evening – bearing in mind he scored twice in the reverse fixture a couple of weeks ago, he looks poised to pick up the points yet again.

Filipe Luis – we’re backing Atletico big time this Matchday and also recommending their 5.5 priced left-back tomorrow evening. Luis picked up an assist in the previous group match and has also impressed creatively in the league, with a pair of assists to his name thus far – with the Austrians failing to find the net in any of their matches thus far, Simeone’s side are heavily backed for a clean sheet this time around.

Fabian Schär – coming in at just 4.5, the Basel centre-back is another backline option with the potential to pick up points at both ends of the pitch. Schär’s aerial threat in the box has already harvested four goals in all competitions this term and with visitors Steaua Bucharest mustering a single strike so far, he’ll be confident of delivering a clean sheet in Switzerland tomorrow night.

Marek Hamšík – is our final selection as Napoli prepare for the visit of Marseille. The attacking midfielder has flourished since the arrival of Rafa Benitez, with six Serie A goals helping his side to second spot in Italy’s top division – with five defeats and a draw in the last six in all competitions, the French side could be put to the sword by the 8.5 priced Slovakian.