Champions League Picks – Semi-Finals, Second Leg

Our coverage of the official UEFA Fantasy Champions League game returns ahead of tonight’s 7.30 pm deadline. After last week’s pair of fixtures produced just one goal between them, Fantasy managers are hoping for an improvement as Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid look to fire their way into next month’s final. We’ve picked one player per side and once again avoided the usual suspects:

Thomas Muller – the Bayern striker may well get the nod ahead of Mario Mandzukic after the Croatian’s ineffectual display in last week’s narrow loss at the Bernabeu. Muller – priced at 11.0 and owned by less than 3% of Fantasy managers – is more than capable of picking up the points even if restricted to a substitute role, though, and could well be key as Pep Guardiola’s side look to overcome a 1-0 deficit and remain in with a shout of retaining the trophy.

Karim Benzema –having notched the match-winner last time around, the Frenchman will fancy his chances of getting amongst the goals once again. With the searing pace of Cristiano Ronaldo and fit-again Gareth Bale on the flanks (the Welshman has recovered from last week’s flu bug) Carlo Ancelotti’s side look perfectly poised to hit Bayern on the counter and Benzema, priced at 11.5 and owned by 3%, could be the main beneficiary as the Spanish outfit look to stay on course for La Decima and win the competition for the tenth time.

Gary Cahill – handed a brief sub role in the weekend win at Liverpool, the Chelsea centre-half (priced at 5.5 and owned by 2%) will return to the starting line-up for tomorrow’s home game with Atletico. The tie is tentatively balanced after a goalless first-leg but with both John Terry and Petr Cech back in training, the Blues may well have a full-strength backline to face Diego Simeone’s side – as Sunday’s game at Anfield showed, Jose Mourinho’s side are second-to-none at delivering clean sheets in the games that matter most.

Diego Godin – the centre-half has been vital at both ends of the pitch for the La Liga leaders this term. The 5.5-priced Godin (owned by 1% of Fantasy managers) has chipped in with five goals and an assist across all competitions and bearing in mind Diego Simeone’s side have failed to concede in each of their last six, Mourinho’s side will have a tough task to break down Atletico’s well-drilled rearguard at the Bridge tomorrow night.