Matchday 7 of UEFA Champions League (UCL) Fantasy kicks off on Tuesday evening and, as usual, we’ve got our Scout Picks to bring you ahead of the deadline.
Remember, these selections are for the upcoming Matchday in isolation.
Goalkeepers
Atalanta may not possess the most stubborn Serie A defence this season but they’ve managed four clean sheets in six Champions League matches. They next face a poor Sturm Graz side at home, making the cheaply-priced Marco Carnesecchi (€4.5m) look like a great Tuesday pick.
If the Italian doesn’t collect a significant return, we turn to Celtic, who come up against the joint second-worst attack in the League Phase thus far, Young Boys. Between the sticks is Kasper Schmeichel (€4.4m).
Defenders
Not only has Liverpool’s defence been excellent domestically but the backline has racked up a clean sheet in all but one of their Champions League outings. If Arne Slot’s side picks up another when hosting Lille, it’ll benefit flying full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold (€6.0m), following a goal and an assist in his latest four league matches.
Arsenal’s home clash with GNK Dinamo could be a great opportunity for a successful shut-out. Rather than forking out on more expensive team-mates, Jurrien Timber (€4.4m) provides much cheaper coverage.
Although Leverkusen come up against Atletico Madrid, the Bundesliga champions have won their last 11 matches in all competitions. Playing play with a back-three system allows Alejandro Grimaldo (€5.7m) to reach some very advanced positions. The Spaniard bagged his side’s only goal in a recent match with Mainz, showcasing his supreme attacking threat.
It’s a similar story for Milan’s Theo Hernandez (€5.5m). He’s registered two goals and an assist in his latest three matches.
Across the city, Inter’s notoriously attacking wing-back Denzel Dumfries (€5.5m) gets his own free reign down the right. He heads into the Sparta Prague encounter with confidence from scoring at the weekend. Furthermore, prior to losing 1-0 at Leverkusen, the Serie A side had kept a clean sheet in all of their Champions League matches.
Midfielders
A shoo-in for Matchday 7, Mohamed Salah (€10.1m) is also Tuesday’s standout captaincy option. Like Liverpool, the Egyptian continues to dominate both the Premier League and Champions League. He has accumulated a mammoth 40+ goal contributions this season in all competitions and Lille are next.
Meanwhile, no other side here has shipped more goals than Young Boys. Once you add the idea that Celtic are a force to be reckoned with at home, budget gem Nicolas-Gerrit Kühn (€4.8m) could become a fantastic pick.
Bayern have scored at least five times in three of their previous five matches, so it appears they’re finding their ruthlessness once more. This week they’re against Feyenoord and a poor defence which Michael Olise (€6.6m) can take advantage of. An affordable route into the attack, the Frenchman scooped up an explosive 15 points in Matchday 6.
Also having fun in front of goal are Real Madrid. In all competitions, Los Blancos have managed at least two goals in each of their previous 10 matches. Jude Bellingham (€9.0m) is contributing a lot to this.
Alongside these is Enzo Millot (€6.2m). He’s one of Stuttgart’s most influential attackers, an individual who scored and assisted in Matchday 6. The team netted five times that night and now gets to face leaky Slovan Bratislava – targeting them could be rewarding.
Forwards
Already eliminated from the competition, Leipzig’s motivation is hugely questionable versus Sporting CP. The German side continues to concede, so the in-form penalty-taker Viktor Gyökeres (€7.9m) could receive plenty of opportunities.
Elsewhere, no European side has scored more goals than Barcelona this season. Buying into such an attack appears essential and its leader is Robert Lewandowski (€9.6m). As well as coming in considerably cheaper than the other premium forwards, he is in great form.
Salzburg have disappointed during the campaign, particularly by conceding 18 times. That’s an average of three per match, meaning Real Madrid could run riot. One of two deadly strikers set to return is Kylian Mbappe (€10.9m). Choosing between him and team-mate Vinicius Junior (€11.2m) could prove challenging but, given his recent form, their summer signing arguably has the edge.
UCL MATCHDAY 7 SCOUT PICKS
2 months, 13 days agoSave FT this GW?
2FT
0.8 itb
Raya
Hall, TAA, Munoz
Salah(c), Gordon, Rogers, Bruno, Palmer
Isak(vc), Wood
Valdi, Cunha, Faes, Johnson