Our in-house expert FPL Reactions (aka Louis) picks out the most appealing assets of Matchday 12 in UEFA Champions League (UCL) Fantasy.
It’s the Champions League version of our Scout Picks, done on a knockout stage budget of €105m.
If you’re new to the game or need reminding of the rules, check out our ‘how to play’ guide below.
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UCL FANTASY MATCHDAY 12
Goalkeepers
The fact Dortmund are 1-0 up on PSG makes them a lot more investable. So, for that reason and the fact he is one of the best shot-stoppers in Europe, Gregor Kobel (€5m) makes the cut.
Real Madrid play at home this week which makes them a more convincing back between the sticks. Thibaut Courtois (€6m) is finally back fit after a lengthy layoff but Andriy Lunin (€4.8m) looks set to start this one.
Defenders
Some PSG coverage could be vital so owning their second-best asset in the game, Achraf Hakimi (€6.1m), could be rewarding. As well as clean sheet potential, Hakimi can be one of the most offensively successful full-backs in football.
Dortmund’s 1-0 aggregate score and better chances of progressing make a defensive double-up a wise move. Both Ian Maatsen (€4.7m) and Mats Hummels (€5.2m) also have other routes to points, from goals to ball recoveries, both have haul potential.
Real Madrid are seemingly favourites to progress to the final due to the home match this week. Because of that having at least one of their defenders could be a good play. Antonio Rudiger (€5.4m) is the safest pick at the back in terms of game time.
Some Bayern defensive coverage may be wise, and if they don’t progress then you can dispose of that slot in the final. Eric Dier (€4.5m) is clearly their standout pick when it comes to game time so should be a safe bet if Bayern progress.
Midfielders
As well as having a better chance of progressing to the final, Dortmund also face a PSG who appear quite ropey defensively at times. With that in mind, Marcel Sabitzer (€5.7m) and Jadon Sancho (€7.1m) enter the fray. Sabitzer continues to be one of Dortmund’s biggest threats in attack and Sancho’s increasing confidence and progressive performances could pay off soon.
Doubling up on the Real Madrid midfield looks like a good move this week. The Spanish side have impressed offensively and that should continue here. Jude Bellingham (€8m) will be hoping he can regain his scintillating form from several matches ago and Federico Valverde (€7.5m) may be the differential we need to gain rank.
Bayern could exit the competition this week but even away from home it would be foolish to exclude their attackers. Their standout midfielder could well be Leroy Sane (€9.1m) after his stunning solo goal in Matchday 11.
Forwards
Bayern are in no way down and out and they also have a very good chance of scoring goals. One player you won’t want to be without is Harry Kane (€10.2m), especially after racking up eight goals and three assists already in Europe.
Another absolute shoo-in is Vinicius Junior (€11.1m). Vinicius has proven lethal against some of the best teams in Europe already and with penalty duty added to his appeal, the Brazilian could have huge potential this week and looking ahead.
A home match for PSG makes it extremely unwise to go without penalty taker and talisman Kylian Mbappe (€11.7m). Mbappe will likely add to the five goals he managed in the last five matches.
CAPTAINCY
Tuesday
PSG face Dortmund on the first day of Matchday 12. The French side will be hoping to overturn a 1-0 deficit this week and several factors back them to do just that.
In terms of form, PSG won three of their four matches prior to the Matchday 11 loss. But, they also scored at least three goals in all four of the same games so they are fully capable offensively. In fact, when playing at home they are even more capable and we can see that in the 2-3 goals they netted in all but one of their Champions League home matches so far.
Dortmund have kept just one clean sheet away from home in the Champions League so far which is another factor cementing Kylian Mbappe (€11.7m) as the standout captain. The Frenchman will be eager to get to the final and with eight goals in 11 Champions League matches already, he has the ability to fire his team there.
Those looking to go different with captaincy could opt for a Dortmund player. PSG have still proven shaky at the back this season so Niclas Füllkrug (€7.5m) could have potential. The penalty taker spearheads the Dortmund frontline and even scored in the reverse fixture.
For managers who can’t get to Niclas Füllkrug then midfielder Marcel Sabitzer (€5.7m) could be the next-best differential captain. Sabitzer came close with two big chances in the first leg, which came immediately after securing a 14-point haul in Matchday 10.
Wednesday
Real Madrid were far from their best against Bayern in Matchday 11 but still managed to pick up a result. Form doesn’t mean much for the Spanish giants and their consistent inevitability in the latter stages of the Champions League, home or away, makes them a gold mine for the captaincy armband this week.
Although packed with attacking talent, the standout option is of course Vinicius Junior (€11.1m). Not only did the Brazilian rack up two attacking returns against both Barcelona and Bayern recently but he appears to be on penalty duty as well after converting the last two.
Of course, Real Madrid offer other options for the captaincy with Rodrgyo (€9.2m) who returned in each of his last three matches. Some may even opt for midfielder Jude Bellingham (€8m), who prior to Matchday 9 banked a return in all of his Champions League matches.
Bayern are also fully capable of scoring goals this week, even away from home. The German side regularly score 2+ goals and their main man and penalty taker Harry Kane (€10.2m) tends to contribute heavily. Kane scored in the reverse fixture, adding to his 50+ goal contributions for the season.
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