Matchday 16 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.
There are quite a few fitness concerns ahead of midweek, so alternatives are given in the case of no-shows/benchings. Remember, we’ll get to see the teamsheets of Inter v Barcelona before finalising our squads for Matchday 16.
Goalkeepers
Goals are expected between Inter and Barcelona, but having a goalkeeper on both days is obviously advisable. With the tie level, we’re backing the home side via Yann Sommer (€5.5m). There should be saves, at least.
Something similar can be said about Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma (€5.8m). The Italian displayed heroics in the first leg versus Arsenal, which helped his side bank a crucial clean sheet.
Defenders
In fact, taking into account their home match, investing in PSG’s backline should be essential for every UCL Fantasy manager. Their standout options are full-backs Achraf Hakimi (€5.7m) and Nuno Mendes (€6.0m), both of whom offer considerable attacking threat and could make up for any lost clean sheet. They’re averaging 6.7 and 7.1 points per match respectively in UCL Fantasy this season.
Opponents Arsenal may be playing away from home but they’re still deemed to be one of the Premier League’s best defences. Coverage is still advised, with the best of the bunch being centre-back William Saliba (€5.5m). He could at least pick up a ball recovery point or two, even if the shut-out is busted.
We may not see a clean sheet in the opening match but, if Barcelona do somehow keep one, not owning anyone at the back could be hugely detrimental to your rank and mini-league position. Centre-back Inigo Martinez (€5.1m) is their safest option in terms of minutes, also having a UCL goal and assist to his name.
Meanwhile, Inter’s wing-back set-up makes Denzel Dumfries (€5.5m) extremely enticing. The Dutchman reminded us why last week, by scoring twice and assisting. It helped him accumulate an eye-watering 19 points.
Midfielders
High ownership and consistent performances from Raphinha (€7.9m) and Lamine Yamal (€7.4m) mean that buying a third Barcelona attacker could be vital when wanting to gain rank from their goals. Usefully, Fantasy managers will have access to their line-ups before the deadline.
Whilst Robert Lewandowski (€9.7m) is in training and expected to feature, he may not start, making Ferran Torres (€6.7m) a decent punt. The Spaniard successfully stepped in during the first leg, getting on the scoresheet. If we see that Lewandowski starts, then going for Dani Olmo (€7.6m), in the number 10 role, could be wise.
There is no telling how PSG v Arsenal will play out, so let’s back their star attackers. Bukayo Saka (€9.0m) and Ousmane Dembele (€8.6m) have been excellent both domestically and in this competition, so you can expect them to be involved in any goals.
Dembele did pick up a minor injury last time, it should be said. Sources around the club are extremely positive he’ll start but, if we hear news that he won’t feature, there’s always Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (€7.6m).
Forwards
If Robert Lewandowski is in the starting line-up, then he feels near-essential. He’s been brilliant this season, scoring 25 La Liga goals and a further 11 in just 12 Champions League outings.
Hansi Flick has hinted at the Pole starting on the bench in Milan but there are so few other active forwards remaining in UCL Fantasy (Desire Doue (€4.9m) is one, and you’re not sure how many minutes he’ll get) that it might be worth the gamble on Lewandowski to do some damage off the bench in what should be another open encounter. With it being a Tuesday game, Lewandowski can always be subbed off for a PSG or Arsenal player on Wednesday if he blanks.
Despite averaging 3.1 goals per UCL match, Barcelona continuously fail to convince from a defensive perspective. Matchday 15’s 3-3 draw was a fine example of this. So picking Inter’s best option makes sense, which is arguably Marcus Thuram (€7.6m).
Not only was Thuram rested at the weekend, he is fully fit – unlike teammate Lautaro Martinez (€9.4m). The latter got hurt during the first leg, although those close to the club think there’s a strong possibility that the Argentine will start this encounter. Or at least feature in a game which could go into extra time.
Captaincy
The Tuesday decision feels straightforward. Based on what we saw in the first leg, goals are expected between Inter and Barcelona. One player consistently among them is Raphinha. The Brazilian hasn’t just got multiple routes to points due to set-plays, but he is also most likely to play more minutes than his attacking colleagues should the game progress into extra time.
Make no mistake, Raphinha will very likely be the most captained player. So, if you’re looking to gain rank, handing the armband to Lamine Yamal or even Marcus Thuram could be hugely profitable.
On Wednesday, fitness doubts are enough to put most off captaining Ousmane Dembele. The next best option is probably Bukayo Saka, as the Gunners attempt to overturn a 1-0 deficit. Those looking to go differential should look at Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
UCL MATCHDAY 16 SCOUT PICKS
