The play-offs are here and UCL Fantasy Matchday 9 is a big one. With unlimited transfers available, every manager has the chance to reset and attack the knockout fixtures.
Our experts share their team reveals, plans and captaincy thoughts ahead of the deadline to help you make the most of it.
@Big4FPL
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- I head into the play-off round sitting just outside the top 1k after a fairly average Matchday last time out. With unlimited transfers in play, much of the squad feels straightforward, so the real decision is where to take a calculated risk.
- Four PSG players look close to essential, with Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior the standout locks in attack. Beyond that, I’m weighing up a couple of defensive spots, particularly from Leverkusen and Dortmund, as potential differentials before the deadline.
- For captaincy, the plan is simple: Mbappé gets the armband and hopefully does the job on his own. If not, Lautaro Martínez is lined up as the fallback option.
@SilentBats
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- I played my Chip in the final League Phase Matchday and it delivered, with 99 points. It cut through the rotation chaos and gave me a big boost. I’ll be far more intentional with that strategy next season.
- I’m almost locked in for the play-offs, with just three spots left to decide.
- First, I’m considering moving on from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and rolling the dice on a midfield punt. The shortlist is Harvey Barnes, Arda Güler, Aleix García, Felix Nmecha or Kenan Yıldız. That move would also let me double up on PSG’s defence by upgrading Julian Ryerson to either Achraf Hakimi or Willian Pacho.
- The other decision is my Tuesday goalkeeper. It’s currently between Michele Di Gregorio, Thibaut Courtois and Uğurcan Çakır.
- Captaincy plan:
- Day 1: Kylian Mbappé
- Day 2: Anthony Gordon or Federico Dimarco
- Let’s attack it. Good luck — green arrows only.
@Super__Saud
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- I go into Matchday 9 ranked 870th overall, and the aim now is clear – break into the top 500.
- I’ve built the squad heavily around PSG, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Inter. The defence is set and I’m not planning any late changes there.
- In attack, I’m still weighing up a few options. Kenan Yıldız, Weston McKennie, Harvey Barnes, Julián Álvarez, Ousmane Dembélé and Victor Osimhen are all in the mix before I finalise the front line.
- As it stands, Kylian Mbappé will carry the armband on Tuesday.
@TheCrisk
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- I expect a lot of squads to look very similar this Matchday. The pool is much smaller now and several elite players aren’t even options because their teams went straight through to the Round of 16.
- PSG and Real Madrid look close to essential, even with Madrid’s trip to Lisbon. I’m planning to double up in attack from both sides. In defence, I trust PSG more to keep things tight against Monaco. Owning both Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior feels crucial = going without one could make it hard to gain ground on managers who load up on just the Frenchman.
- Atlético have scored freely in recent Copa del Rey matches, so I want attacking coverage for their trip to Brugge. Ademola Lookman and Julián Álvarez are both under serious consideration. It will likely be either Lookman plus Ousmane Dembélé, or Álvarez paired with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
- I’ll also take a few calculated punts on players I’ve backed before. Malick Thiaw appeals given Newcastle’s solid defence and his threat from set pieces. Weston McKennie offers value for a midfielder operating close to the striker. And Jens Petter Hauge is always interesting – playing in Bodø is tough for any opponent, even former Champions League finalists.
@FplRossoneri
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- For Matchday 9, my draft is starting to take shape. I’m confident on five or six core players and will build around them.
- A lot depends on the latest news around Ousmane Dembélé. If there are any concerns, I’ll switch to either Victor Osimhen or Julián Álvarez instead.
- I’m also keeping an eye on a few other names before locking it in – Kenan Yıldız, Lewis Hall, Malik Tillman, Álvarez again as a flexible option, and Vitinha.
- Captaincy plan is straightforward: Kylian Mbappé on day one, then the armband moves to Anthony Gordon on Wednesday.
@hichemillo
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- Goalkeepers: I’m currently on the cheaper pairing of Nick Pope and Marco Carnesecchi. Newcastle and Atalanta both look solid enough defensively, and importantly, both keepers rack up save points. I could still move to Yann Sommer or Thibaut Courtois, but for now I like the balance of value and upside.
- Defence: Federico Dimarco, Alejandro Grimaldo, Nuno Mendes, Achraf Hakimi and Ramy Bensebaini. That’s four attacking full/wing-backs plus a centre-back with potential penalty duties and recovery points. If Ramy Bensebaini (or any of the others) isn’t expected to start, I’ll pivot to a Newcastle or Atlético defender, or possibly Alessandro Bastoni or Julian Ryerson.
- Midfield: Giuliano Simeone, Vitinha, Anthony Gordon and Vinícius Júnior. There aren’t many standout midfield options this week, so the template will be strong. That’s exactly why I like Giuliano Simeone as a differential.
- Forwards: Kylian Mbappé is locked. The other two spots are between Serhou Guirassy, Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez. There aren’t many convincing alternatives, so it’s about picking the right two from that trio.
- Captaincy: Day 1 – Kylian Mbappé, Day 2 – Federico Dimarco. One thing to note: with so many managers loading up on PSG and Real Madrid, captaincy and those final forward spots could make the real difference this Matchday.
