The league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League (UCL) is set to begin next week – and so does the competition’s official Fantasy game.
We’ll have plenty of UCL Fantasy coverage in preparation for the big kick-off, as well as articles throughout the season.
Here, we look at some of the best UCL Fantasy defenders on offer.
- READ MORE: UCL Fantasy 2025/26: Best goalkeepers
- READ MORE: Join our UCL Fantasy mini-league – and win prizes!
DENZEL DUMFRIES (€6.0m)
Inter Milan kept clean sheets in seven of their eight league phase matches last season, conceding just one goal.
They have a superb early schedule in 2025/26, too, with Ajax, Slavia Prague, Union SG and Kairat Almaty up first.
Denzel Dumfries is sure to pick up plenty of Fantasy interest as a result.
The flying wing-back racked up 17 attacking returns across all competitions last season and has already found the net against Udinese in 2025/26.
Fellow Inter wing-back Federico Dimarco (€5.5m) is a slightly cheaper alternative on the left flank. He racked up 25 shots and key passes in last season’s Champions League, four more than Dumfries.
The Dutchman posed the greater close-range threat, however:
ACHRAF HAKIMI (€6.0m)
Achraf Hakimi is one of the most attacking full-backs in world football.
The Moroccan finished the 2024/25 season with 27 attacking returns (!) in 55 matches, an outstanding record for a right-back.
Nine were banked in the Champions League, too.
On the underlying stats front, Hakimi finished joint-eighth among all players for non-penalty shots, as well as second for key passes:
PSG do have one of the tougher opening runs, mind, with clashes against Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the first four Matchdays.
GABRIEL MAGALHAES (€5.5m)
Arsenal had the best defensive record in the Premier League last season. They also boasted one of the best backlines in the Champions League.
Central to this success was Gabriel, who offers an attacking threat from set-pieces.
Indeed, the Brazilian scored five times across all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign.
As for Arsenal, the arrival of Martin Zubimendi (€6.0m) has strengthened them defensively, and they have already kept two clean sheets in three Premier League matches. Throughout this period, they haven’t conceded a single big chance.
Considering they have arguably the easiest Champions League fixture schedule of any team, Gabriel is a reliable choice at the back.
Riccardo Calafiori (€4.5m) is also worth a mention. He has started the season superbly at left-back, with one goal and two assists in three appearances. However, there is plenty of competition in his position, including Myles Lewis-Skelly (€4.5m) and new arrival Piero Hincapie (€5.0m), so there is an element of risk.
GIOVANNI DI LORENZO (€5.5m)
Napoli’s defence was the best in Serie A last season, as they conceded just 27 goals in 38 matches.
Despite facing Manchester City first, Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s subsequent fixtures, which include Sporting CP, PSV Eindhoven, Qarabag FK and FC Copenhagen, look much nicer.
Playing under Antonio Conte, Di Lorenzo produced three goals and three assists last season.
He also racked up 37 key passes in Serie A, the most of any Napoli player except Matteo Politano (€5.5m).
PEDRO PORRO (€5.0m)
There are some appealing fixtures for Tottenham Hotspur during the league phase, with Villarreal, Bodo/Glimt, Monaco, FC Copenhagen and Slavia Prague across Matchdays 1-6.
Pedro Porro, who has a share of set-pieces under Thomas Frank, should therefore perform well at just €5.0m.
Indeed, no Premier League defender has created more chances than Porro (six) in Gameweeks 1-3:
Spurs have already kept clean sheets against Burnley and Man City this season, with the addition of Joao Palhinha (€5.5m) contributing to their defensive solidity.
FEDERICO GATTI (€4.5m)
Juventus have been handed a decent overall schedule in the league phase, with clean sheet potential against Villarreal, Sporting CP, Bodo/Glimt, Pafos, Benfica and Monaco.
The Old Lady have started the 2025/26 season brightly, too, with back-to-back clean sheets against Parma and Genoa.
As for Federico Gatti, the centre-back offers an attacking threat from set plays and at just €4.5m, could be a solid enabler.
JOSIP STANISIC (€4.5m)
Bayern Munich’s Champions League schedule is admittedly a bit of a mixed bag, but there is shut-out potential against Pafos, Club Brugge, Sporting CP, Union SG and PSV Eindhoven.
Josip Stanisic could offer real value as well.
Available at just €4.5m, he lacks any real offensive threat but his versatility – he can play at left-back as well as centre-back – and price make him a standout option.
DANIEL SVENSSON (€4.5m)
Daniel Svensson is another appealing budget defender in UCL Fantasy 2025/26.
Although Borussia Dortmund have some tricky league phase fixtures to navigate, they also face Athletic Club, FC Copenhagen, Villarreal and Bodo/Glimt in Matchdays 2-6, so there is the potential to do well.
Svensson, meanwhile, has excelled since joining Dortmund from Nordsjaelland in February, mostly playing as a wing-back in Niko Kovac’s back-three system.
Indeed, he produced one goal and one assist at the FIFA Club World Cup, with a further four attacking returns in 12 Bundesliga appearances last season.
RAOUL BELLANOVA (€4.0m)
Atalanta have one of the very best fixture schedules in the league phase, particularly once their clash with PSG in Matchday 1 is out of the way.
Having impressed in Europe last season, with four consecutive Champions League clean sheets, wing-back Raoul Bellanova could offer serious value, given his budget price tag.
The 25-year-old ended the 2024/25 season with 11 Serie A assists.
Playing in a decent Atlanta outfit with great fixtures, Bellanova could be a superb enabler.
