UCL Fantasy managers have plenty of big-name premium options to consider ahead of the new campaign.
With budgets limited, deciding which expensive assets are worth investing in could be crucial. Our expert @FplToni takes a closer look at several premium players on his radar, assessing their early-season form, fixtures and Fantasy potential.
Make sure to check out our brand-new UCL Toolkit, too!
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GOALKEEPERS
There are several premium goalkeepers available this season. David Raya (€6.0m), Thibaut Courtois (€6.0m), Gianluigi Donnarumma (€6.0m) and Alisson Becker (€6.0m) sit at the top of the price list. Matvey Safonov (€5.5m), Manuel Neuer (€5.5m) and Jan Oblak (€5.5m) are slightly cheaper alternatives.
However, spending heavily on both goalkeeper slots isn’t something I would recommend. If investing in a premium option, Raya and Courtois are the two who stand out most to me.
Top projected UCL Fantasy goalkeepers from Matchday 1-8
Our projections also support their long-term potential. Looking across Matchdays 1-8, Courtois leads all goalkeepers with 36.5 projected points, narrowly ahead of Raya on 36.1. Donnarumma completes the top three on 34.5.
Interestingly, Raya is comfortably the most popular of that trio, currently sitting in 38% of squads. Courtois is selected by 19%, while Donnarumma is owned by just 8%.
DAVID RAYA
I’ve already highlighted how highly I rate Arsenal’s defence, and Raya provides a safe route into it.
You generally know what you’re getting with the Spaniard, making him a reliable premium goalkeeper to start the campaign with. His longer-term numbers are encouraging too, with only Courtois projected to score more points between Matchdays 1 and 8.
THIBAUT COURTOIS
Courtois is another option for managers who want to use their Arsenal slots elsewhere.
Real Madrid have looked strong in their opening fixtures and enjoyed an excellent transfer window. That gives me confidence that they can collect plenty of clean sheets this season.
The projections strengthen his case further. Courtois currently leads every goalkeeper for projected points across Matchdays 1-8, putting him marginally ahead of Raya.
DEFENDERS
There are plenty of expensive options at the back, with 18 defenders priced between €5.5m and €6.0m in UCL Fantasy.
PSG feature heavily among the leading options. As we can see from our projections below, three of the top five defenders for projected points between Matchdays 1 and 8 come from the back-to-back European champions.
Top projected UCL Fantasy defenders from Matchday 1-8
Willian Pacho (€6.0m) leads the way on 44.4 projected points, while fellow PSG defenders Marquinhos (€5.0m) and Achraf Hakimi (€6.0m) also feature inside the top five. Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano (€5.5m) sits second overall.
There is, however, a potential issue with investing heavily in PSG from the start. After their opening fixture against Slovan Bratislava, they face Manchester City and Barcelona in Matchdays 2 and 3.
Their schedule improves significantly after Matchday 4, though, which could make PSG defenders particularly appealing later in the League Phase.
PSG’s UCL Fantasy fixtures from Matchday 4-8
GABRIEL
Arsenal have what I consider to be the best defence in world football, making Gabriel an obvious premium option.
They’ve started strongly with back-to-back Premier League clean sheets, while the Brazilian consistently offers attacking threat from set pieces.
His strong ball-recovery numbers provide another potential route to points.
ACHRAF HAKIMI
Achraf Hakimi has long been a reliable UCL Fantasy asset.
His attacking ability is extremely rare for a full-back, while the positions he takes up give him significant potential in the final third.
Playing for such a strong PSG side adds clean-sheet potential, too. Their opening fixture against Slovan Bratislava could provide an opportunity for a double-digit haul.
Hakimi also registered six assists in last season’s Champions League.
NUNO MENDES
In my opinion, Nuno Mendes is the most complete left-back in world football.
Like Hakimi, the positions he takes up for PSG make him extremely appealing from a Fantasy perspective.
His attacking role should give him plenty of opportunities to produce returns throughout the League Phase.
MIDFIELDERS
The premium pool is much smaller in midfield. If we classify players priced at €9.0m or above as premium options, there are just six to choose from.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (€10.0m) and Lamine Yamal (€10.0m) are the most expensive, followed by Vinícius Júnior (€9.5m) and Raphinha (€9.5m). Michael Olise (€9.0m) and Bruno Fernandes (€9.0m) complete the premium group.
Our expert has opted to highlight Yamal, Olise and Raphinha as three of his preferred options.
LAMINE YAMAL
Yamal is arguably the biggest young talent in world football and makes the game look incredibly easy.
He can sometimes be selfish, but that’s not necessarily a negative from a Fantasy perspective. The Barcelona winger isn’t afraid to shoot from almost anywhere, which helps him maintain a high shot volume.
Across his last two league matches, Yamal registered 13 shots and scored twice. With Barcelona possessing one of the strongest attacks around, his explosive potential is obvious.
MICHAEL OLISE
Another player who stands out is Olise.
His numbers are exceptional. The Bayern midfielder produced 15 goals and 19 assists in the league last season, having registered 12 goals and 17 assists the campaign before.
He’s one of the most creative players around but can also be deadly inside the box. For me, that makes him close to essential for Matchday 1.
Bayern’s attacking potential adds to his appeal. They are projected to score 3.52 goals in their opening fixture against Bodo/Glimt, giving Olise significant potential from the off.
Bayern Munich’s projected goals from Matchday 1-8
The projections remain relatively consistent beyond Matchday 1, too. Bayern are expected to score at least 1.45 goals in every League Phase fixture, suggesting their attack could remain a good source of UCL Fantasy points throughout the competition.
RAPHINHA
Raphinha could be particularly exciting because of his current role.
He’s listed as a midfielder in UCL Fantasy but is currently playing up front for Barcelona. The Brazilian is also their main penalty-taker and has started the campaign in excellent form.
Five goals and two assists across his opening three matches highlight the potential he carries.
FORWARDS
There are six forwards priced at €9.5m or above in UCL Fantasy, giving managers several big-hitting options to choose from.
Harry Kane (€11.0m), Kylian Mbappe (€11.0m) and Erling Haaland (€11.0m) share the highest price tag. Julian Alvarez (€10.0m), Ousmane Dembele (€10.0m) and Lautaro Martinez (€9.5m) complete the premium pool.
Top projected UCL Fantasy forwards from Matchday 1-8
Mbappe leads not only the premium options but every forward for projected points, with an impressive 58.6 across the League Phase. Haaland also makes the top three on 48.6, narrowly behind Victor Osimhen (€8.0m) on 48.7.
Mbappe’s 62% ownership also makes him particularly significant. With such a large proportion of managers already backing him, going without the Real Madrid forward could have a major effect on rank if he delivers.
KYLIAN MBAPPE
There isn’t much that needs to be said about Mbappe. Some supporters wanted him gone, but he was brilliant at the Club World Cup and showed that he can play for the team as well.
Real Madrid have also looked excellent in their opening fixtures, with Mbappe scoring four goals in two matches.
As their main penalty-taker, he combines reliability with explosive potential and should regularly come into the captaincy conversation.
HARRY KANE
Kane is the definition of a must-have for me.
His opening two fixtures couldn’t be much better, while he leads one of the strongest attacks in world football. I can see Bayern Munich scoring seven or more goals across those two matches.
Kane is also their main penalty-taker. Rather than trying to cover him with another Bayern attacker, I want the striker himself.
ERLING HAALAND
New hairstyle, same habits for Haaland, who continues to score goals.
Manchester City looked very good in their latest match against Crystal Palace, with Haaland scoring twice.
If Maresca continues to field an attacking line-up, there should be plenty of chances for the Norwegian. His minutes should be secure, while penalty duties further strengthen his appeal.
