With Matchday 3 approaching, UCL Fantasy managers will be looking for ways to gain an advantage over their rivals.
Here, we highlight five differentials worth considering for Matchday 3, including some in excellent form and others with fixtures too good to ignore.
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FLORIAN WIRTZ (€8.5M) – 2% SELECTED
Liverpool will be hoping to rack up the goals again this week after their thrilling 6-3 victory over LASK in Matchday 2. The Reds now face Villarreal, who conceded three goals away from home in the opening round.
It’s another promising fixture for Liverpool’s attacking players, particularly given their recent European performance.
Many UCL Fantasy managers will understandably turn to Bradley Barcola following his impressive hat-trick last time out. However, Florian Wirtz could offer an interesting alternative, especially with the German starting to find his feet at Liverpool.
Wirtz appears to be growing in confidence and has registered assists in each of his last two appearances across all competitions. That improving output should give him a boost heading into Matchday 3.
VICTOR OSIMHEN (€8.0M) – 4% SELECTED
It’s been a difficult start to the Champions League campaign for Lille. The French side have lost both of their opening matches, conceding three goals in each.
Those defensive struggles make them a team worth targeting in Matchday 3, which brings Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen into the conversation.
The Nigerian was fantastic in his previous Champions League campaign, scoring seven goals and registering one assist in 10 appearances. His ability to deliver on the European stage is already well established.
Osimhen has also started the domestic season in excellent form, producing six goals and three assists in his opening five Turkish Süper Lig matches. That gives him plenty of momentum heading into another favourable fixture.
With Lille struggling to keep goals out, there could be opportunities for Osimhen to continue his impressive run.
GONÇALO INÁCIO (€4.5M) – 3% SELECTED
Sporting CP shouldn’t be underestimated in this competition. The Portuguese side finished seventh in last season’s league phase, ahead of Manchester City, Real Madrid, Inter and Paris Saint-Germain.
They have also won both of their opening Champions League matches this season, making another excellent start. Keeping a clean sheet away in France last time out was particularly impressive.
Whilst many managers will turn to the budget-friendly Sergi Altimira, there is another Sporting player worth considering: Gonçalo Inácio.
The Portuguese defender offers ball recovery potential, but he also carries a degree of attacking threat. Recent goals in the league and pre-season highlight his ability to contribute at the other end of the pitch.
That gives Inácio several routes to Fantasy points, rather than relying entirely on a clean sheet. With Sporting hosting LASK this week, there is a fantastic opportunity for another defensive return.
NICOLAS JACKSON (€7.0M) – 2% SELECTED
Aston Villa’s 3-2 away victory in Matchday 1 looks even more impressive after Club Brugge’s recent win against Inter.
The English side followed that result with an incredible 6-0 victory over Fenerbahçe, taking their tally to nine goals in two Champions League matches.
There could be even more to come this week, with Villa hosting a Viking side that have conceded three goals in each of their opening two Matchdays.
With doubts surrounding Johan Manzambi, one of the most appealing alternatives is Nicolas Jackson. The forward has already scored three Champions League goals this season, making an excellent start to the competition.
His €7.0m price tag could also prove particularly attractive this week. With several more expensive forwards facing injury concerns, finding a cheaper option with strong goalscoring potential could be valuable.
At just 2% ownership, Jackson offers a way into one of the competition’s most in-form attacks without following the crowd.
ARCHIE BROWN (€4.6M) – 1% SELECTED
Fenerbahçe won’t be the first team UCL Fantasy managers consider for defensive investment after their 6-0 defeat in Matchday 2. However, that result doesn’t tell the whole story.
The Turkish side have actually been excellent defensively outside of that heavy loss, keeping six clean sheets in their previous nine matches.
This week, they welcome Slavia Prague, who suffered a disappointing defeat against Champions League newcomers Sabah. The Czech side also failed to score, which should encourage Fenerbahçe’s defenders.
One player who could fly completely under the radar is Archie Brown, who produced an impressive 11-point return in Matchday 1 after scoring against Roma.
The attacking full-back also found the net against Lyon during the play-off round before the league phase began. Those performances highlight his attacking potential, giving him another route to points alongside clean sheets and defensive contributions.
