The Matchday 11 deadline for UEFA Women’s Champions League Fantasy season is almost here.
In this article, our expert @Schurrle_FWSL reveals his team selection.
- READ MORE: WSL Fantasy – Gameweek 20 team reveal
Matchday 10 continued what’s been a brilliant knockout run for my team. A 115-point return made it my second-best score of the tournament, overtaking Matchday 9, and it’s pushed me up to 8th in the world. I’m really happy with that at this stage.
With the Champions League back on Saturday, here’s how I’m shaping up and the moves I’m weighing up.
TEAM REVEAL
GOALKEEPERS
I’m not expecting clean sheets here, but I’m still comfortable with the setup. Ena Mahmutovic faces Barcelona, while Christiane Endler travels to London to take on Arsenal. Having keepers on separate days is ideal at this stage, especially in the semi-finals.
Because of that, I don’t see much value in using a transfer on a goalkeeper. The only exception would be if I had a spare Barcelona slot, which I don’t right now.
DEFENDERS
At the back, I’m sticking with the Lyon triple-up. Wendie Renard and Selma Bacha both stay. Between them, they’ve already delivered six goal involvements, so they offer plenty more than just clean sheet potential. It feels risky to go against that.
Barcelona remain strong favourites against Bayern Munich, so I’m happy to keep the defensive double-up there as well. Irene Paredes and Ona Batlle both offer strong ball recovery numbers, and Paredes in particular stands out. She leads all defenders for points this season and has chipped in with three goals. She did miss the midweek game, so she’s one to monitor – but we’ll have line-ups before the deadline, which makes that decision easier.
The final spot goes to Emily Fox. With Lyon and Barcelona already covered, it makes sense to avoid overloading on Bayern players. Fox has been reliable, hitting at least six ball recoveries in six of her seven Champions League starts. That consistency is hard to ignore.
MIDFIELDERS
The captaincy feels straightforward. Alexia Putellas gets the armband for Saturday. She scored 13 and 15 points across the quarter-finals and hit 17 the last time Barcelona faced Bayern. Hard to look past that.
Alongside her, I’m happy to keep Mariona Caldentey. She’s a valuable Arsenal asset and has delivered in big games before, including scoring in both legs of last year’s semi-final against Lyon.
There are a few decisions to make beyond that. Vicky López is one I’m debating. She and Caroline Graham both played 45 minutes midweek, so it’s unclear who starts on the right. If López ends up deeper in midfield rather than in the front line, I’ll likely move her on.
One option is Esmee Brugts. Despite playing at left-back, she’s the second-highest scoring midfielder in the game. Her heatmaps show her pushing very high up the pitch – often higher than Claudia Pina – which makes her a very tempting pick, especially at that price.
Elsewhere, changes feel more certain. Linda Dallmann and Lauren James are both likely to make way. To free up funds, I’m looking at Bernadette Amani Kakounan. She played both quarter-final legs and, while the returns weren’t huge, she’s a solid enabler.
The final midfield spot is the toughest call. Olivia Smith is appealing, but with Klara Bühl now back from injury, it’s hard to ignore her. She’s returned in every Champions League match she’s played this season – even in that heavy defeat to Barcelona earlier in the campaign.
FORWARDS
Up front, I’m reversing last week’s move. Alessia Russo comes back in for Pernille Harder. Russo sits just six points behind Putellas as the top scorer in the game, so it’s an easy call.
There’s no reason to move away from Ewa Pajor either. Four goal involvements in the quarter-finals say it all. She looks like Barcelona’s most secure forward for both minutes and returns.
The final spot is where things get interesting. Melchie Dumornay offers great value and already punished Arsenal earlier in the season with a 14-point haul. Still, the temptation to add another Barcelona attacker is strong.
That decision likely comes down to Claudia Pina or Caroline Graham. Lineups and budget will play a big role, so it’s one I’ll leave as late as possible.
Best of luck for Matchday 11.
