Champions League 2014/15 – Fantasy iTeam Matchday 12 Picks

We’re just hours away from the start of the second leg stage of this season’s Champions League semi-final stages. As always, we assess the Fantasy iTeam (FiT) Player Price List and offer two players per team for your perusal ahead of Matchday 12’s deadline.

A free Fantasy football app, FiT is available on a number of mobile devices, including iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android. Fantasy managers have until 10 minutes before the first kick-off in any given Matchday to make any final alterations to their starting XIs – this evening, then, that deadline is 7.35pm, as Pep Guardiola’s Bayern play host to Barcelona in Munich.

We’re supporting FiT throughout the competition and have an official Fantasy Football Scout League, with an iPad mini available to the winner. There’s also a VIP European Match Day Experience for two on offer for the overall winner of the Fantasy iTeam Champions League game.

Tuesday 12 May

Bayern Munich welcome Barcelona to the Allianz Arena in the midst of a four-match losing streak, scoring just once in that period. If the Bundesliga champions harbour any aspirations of overhauling a three-goal deficit, Robert Lewandowski (10.8) will have to put in a career-defining performance. The Polish frontman netted three times in Bayern’s last two home European ties and attempted more shots (three) than any of his team-mates in the reverse fixture.

Thomas Muller (9.6) has a knack of picking up goals at crucial moments. The World Cup winner could well profit from the fact that Bayern have little choice but to play expansive football in the pursuit of an unlikely comeback. Muller registered four goals in his last eight Bundesliga starts but, even more pertinently, tucked away another four in Bayern’s previous three home clashes in the Champions League.

Neymar is enjoying the finest spell of his Barcelona career. The Brazilian has netted in his last six outings, tallying seven goals across that stretch. Furthermore, he’s notched four times in the Catalan club’s previous trio of Champions League clashes, more than justifying his hefty 11.0 price tag. Neymar only failed to deliver attacking returns in one of his last nine starts in all competitions, underlining his laudable consistency.

Ivan Rakitic (7.0) was rested for Barcelona’s 2-0 home win against Real Sociedad and boasts good form in recent weeks. The Croatian playmaker – who’s filled the void left upon Cesc Fabregas’ departure to Chelsea with aplomb – delivered a goal and two assists in his last two starts and is thriving at the Nou Camp club since a summer move from Sevilla.

Wednesday 13 May

With a goal and assist in his last two league outings, Isco (6.5) has ramped up his productivity of late. During Madrid’s last two La Liga ties, only James Rodriguez (eight) crafted more chances that the former Malaga starlet (six), illustrating his assist potential. Isco has yet to open his European account this term but three goals in Madrid’s La Decima campaign prove he’s capable of impacting matches in the Champions League.

Toni Kroos (7.9) picked up a knock in Los Blancos’ 2-2 draw with Valencia on Saturday but has recovered in time to be selected for the Bernabeu leg. Granted, Kroos’ attacking output is far from eye-catching (one goal in four starts), yet the German international attempted more shots than any other Madrid player in the reverse fixture (three) and executed four shots in the Sevilla head-to-head, rendering him the biggest goal threat behind Cristiano Ronaldo of late.

Paul Pogba’s return to the Juventus’ first team is a huge boost ahead of the Madrid showdown. The 8.2-priced midfielder clocked 62 minutes in The Old Lady’s 1-1 draw with Cagliari on the weekend and netted his side’s opener. Injuries aside, Pogba served up attacking returns in eight of his previous 12 starts in all competitions, notching six goals in the process.

Alvaro Morata (6.5) will have a point to prove when he returns to the home of his former employers on Wednesday. The young Spaniard certainly excelled in the first leg, netting the opener and producing more shots on target than Madrid’s front two combined. Morata was rested in the last round of Serie A fixtures and carries the benefit of a budget price point.

FANTASY FOOTBALL SCOUT LEAGUE

We’ve already set up an official Fantasy Football Scout league for you to join, with an iPad mini on offer to the winner – the league name is Fantasy Football Scout and the pin is 11155.