It’s time to choose our early Matchday 7 Scout Picks for UEFA Champions League (UCL) Fantasy.
Remember, these selections are for the upcoming Matchday in isolation. UCL Fantasy also allows manual substitutions from calendar day to calendar day, so it’s a strong squad of 15 we want and not a mere starting XI with unusable bench fodder.
GOALKEEPERS
The goalkeeper pool looks fairly thin on Tuesday, with very few sides offering strong clean-sheet potential. That makes a cheaper option worth considering, which is why Vanja Milinković-Savić (€4.1m) comes into the picture. The Napoli stopper has played his part in four clean sheets across the last six matches and now faces Copenhagen, a fixture that offers plenty of encouragement.
Wednesday does not present many standout options either, but Chelsea’s home tie against Pafos catches the eye. The Champions League newcomers are still searching for their first away goal in the competition, which puts Robert Sánchez (€4.9m) firmly on the radar for Matchday 7.
DEFENDERS
Napoli’s recent defensive form makes a double-up at the back an appealing route this week. One of the cheapest ways in is Alessandro Buongiorno (€3.9m), with the centre-back offering a budget-friendly option that frees up funds elsewhere.
Clean sheets look hard to come by across much of the slate, so leaning into cheap defensive enablers feels sensible. Waldemar Anton (€4.1m) fits that bracket nicely for Dortmund. Spurs have blown hot and cold all season, and Dortmund could easily come away with a shut-out.
Alejandro Grimaldo (€6.1m) continues to justify his premium price, even if Leverkusen remain unpredictable. The attacking wing-back has returned at least nine points in each of his last three outings and already boasts nine attacking returns from 12 Bundesliga matches this season.
Juventus also warrant consideration at the back. Three clean sheets in their last four league matches point to improved defensive solidity, and a home meeting with Benfica adds to the appeal. For minutes security, Pierre Kalulu (€4.5m) stands out as their most reliable option.
Newcastle also catch the eye on home turf. Three clean sheets from their opening six matches is encouraging, and they face PSV next. A cheap way into that defence comes via full-back Lewis Hall (€4.1m).
MIDFIELDERS
Newcastle’s home form in the Champions League has been driven largely by their attacking output, with Anthony Gordon (€7.1m) at the heart of it. Penalty duties have boosted his appeal, and three hauls of 13 points or more across his first six matches underline his threat.
Kenan Yıldız (€6.7m) has also caught the eye in Europe, particularly in recent rounds. A home fixture in Italy brings both attacking and defensive upside, and Yıldız looks like Juventus’ standout attacking option after delivering returns in both Matchday 5 and Matchday 6.
Bayern arrive in strong shape, having lost just once in their last 10 matches, and they continue to rank among the competition’s top scorers. Michael Olise (€8.2m) feels hard to ignore, with an outstanding 19 goal contributions in 17 Bundesliga appearances this season.
Barcelona average more than two goals per game and face a shaky Slavia Praha defence next. With Lamine Yamal suspended, Raphinha (€9.3m) looks set to take centre stage. He comes into the round in red-hot form, with four goals and two assists across his last three matches.
There is also a situation to monitor at Chelsea. Cole Palmer is struggling with a thigh issue and could miss the home clash with Pafos. If that happens, Enzo Fernández (€6.6m) would likely assume penalty duties. The Argentine already leads all Premier League midfielders for non-penalty expected goal involvement, which adds further appeal.
FORWARDS
Budget enablers elsewhere have allowed us to load up on premium firepower up front. Leading the line is Erling Haaland (€10.7m), with the Manchester City striker also on penalties. He looks primed for returns against Bodø/Glimt, who have shipped at least two goals in five of their six matches so far.
We have already flagged Bayern Munich’s attack as one to target this week, but their meeting with Union Saint-Gilloise makes a double-up hard to ignore. At the centre of it all is Harry Kane (€10.8m), who has already hit the 20-goal mark in the Bundesliga this season and remains Bayern’s focal point in front of goal.
Rounding off the premium trio is Kylian Mbappé (€10.9m). Real Madrid are still settling under new management, but Mbappé has already produced 18- and 22-point hauls this campaign, so overlooking him for a home clash with Monaco feels like a risky call.
UCL MATCHDAY 7 SCOUT PICKS
