Matchday 12 is here, which means two shots at getting the captaincy right – one on Tuesday and another on Wednesday. That flexibility can be a real advantage if you plan it well.

In this piece, we run through the standout captaincy options across both nights, as well as a few differential picks that could help you climb the ranks.

• READ MORE: UCL Fantasy Matchday 12: Scout Picks

TUESDAY

There doesn’t appear to be a clear standout for captaincy on Tuesday, which opens the field for UCL Fantasy managers.

Taking into account recent output, the opposition defence, expected minutes and penalty duty, Cole Palmer (€9.5m) could be a good option. PSG, although offensively brilliant, have shipped two goals in their previous three Champions League matches. That should give Palmer the platform to add to the five goals and one assist he has produced during his previous six outings.

Arsenal assets should also be popular this week. Home advantage should give them a significant boost in both defence and attack against Leverkusen.

Those looking to take advantage of one of Europe’s best defences could give the armband to centre-back Gabriel Magalhães (€5.7m), who also ranks joint-second among defenders in the Premier League for goals scored. In attack, recent form may put some managers off Bukayo Saka (€9.5m), but with (a share of) penalty-taking duty and his performances over recent seasons, you can’t underestimate him when it comes to picking up double-digit hauls.

Sporting CP were the fifth-best home side during the League Phase, winning all four of their games and averaging just under three goals per match. This week, they host Bodo/Glimt as they attempt to overturn a 3-0 deficit. Leading the attack and taking penalties is Luis Suarez (€5.0m), who has racked up 27 attacking returns in Liga Portugal this season.

The game between Manchester City and Real Madrid could also produce goals, so we can’t rule out Erling Haaland (€10.7m), even after several lacklustre performances. In the same match, Vinicius Junior (€9.5m) could also benefit from Pep Guardiola’s side desperately trying to overturn the three-goal deficit.

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday looks very similar to Tuesday. There doesn’t appear to be a clear-cut captaincy option.

However, expected minutes and overall motivation could push UCL Fantasy managers toward the Barcelona v Newcastle clash. Barcelona have home advantage. They were also the joint-second highest scorers during the League Phase, so their attackers are very appealing.

Picking between Lamine Yamal (€9.9m) and Raphinha (€9.3m) has been tricky recently. Both have taken and scored penalties lately, making the pecking order slightly unclear. Both players have also been producing strong attacking output.

Yamal may just edge it. His open-play threat has been excellent in recent matches. He has produced four goals and two assists in his previous six outings.

Newcastle could spend long periods under pressure, but they still carry attacking threat. Barcelona were one of the weaker defences among the top 24 sides in the League Phase.

One player who could exploit that is penalty taker Anthony Gordon (€7.3m). If Newcastle get chances, he is likely to be involved. He could secure his 13th attacking return of the campaign this week.

Ignoring Harry Kane (€10.8m) would be foolish. Bayern are almost certain to progress, but that could actually work in their favour. Atalanta may now prioritise Serie A, which could lead to rotation from both sides this week.

Kane didn’t start the first leg and then featured for 30+ minutes in Bayern’s previous Bundesliga match. That suggests he is ready to start here. Atalanta also appear to be struggling defensively right now, so backing one of Europe’s best strikers with the captaincy armband could therefore pay off.

UCL Fantasy managers could also look toward Liverpool and Atleti attackers.

From Liverpool, Hugo Ekitike (€8.0m) and Mohamed Salah (€10.4m) both failed to start the previous league match. That could leave them fresh for the home game against Galatasaray.

Meanwhile, it will be difficult to overlook Julian Alvarez (€9.1m) after his recent haul.