With Matchday 2 behind us, attention now turns to the third round of UEFA Champions League (UCL) Fantasy.
In this article, we’ll take an early look at some of the standout picks for Matchday 3, highlighting the players and teams worth considering ahead of the next deadline.
Remember, managers still putting the finishing touches to their squads can also get plenty of help with our UCL Fantasy Toolkit.
There’s free stuff in there for every UCL manager but, as ever, Chief Scout Members can dig even deeper.
From player points projections and underlying statistics to the Fixture Ticker, Rate My UCL Team feature and Draft Tool, it’s all here to help you build your Matchday 3 squads.
GOALKEEPERS
Roma recorded an impressive 18 clean sheets in Serie A last season, finishing the campaign with one of the strongest defensive records in Italy. As the graphic below highlights, they also rank among the top three teams for projected clean sheets in our UCL Fantasy Toolkit this week. That makes Pierluigi Gollini (€4.0m) an appealing budget goalkeeper option for the opening night.
If Gollini fails to deliver on Tuesday, we can turn to another side with a strong chance of keeping a clean sheet: Aston Villa. The English side cruised to a 6-0 home victory in Matchday 2 and will be hoping to secure back-to-back home shutouts. That makes Zion Suzuki (€4.0m) another appealing budget goalkeeper option.
DEFENDERS
Manchester City top our clean sheet projections this week, making their defenders particularly appealing ahead of a home clash with AEK Athens. Rotation remains a concern, but reliable centre-back Marc Guéhi (€5.1m) could provide a safer route into their defence. The England international also demonstrated his Fantasy potential with a 10-point return in the opening round.
Another centre-back worth considering is Gianluca Mancini (€4.5m). The Italian scored four goals across a six-match spell for Roma last season, highlighting his considerable attacking threat from set-piece situations. With Roma also ranking highly for projected clean sheets, Mancini offers potential at both ends of the pitch.
Looking at the highest projected defensive scorers for the upcoming round, Waldemar Anton (€4.5m) also stands out. Borussia Dortmund will be hoping to bounce back against Champions League newcomers Sabah this week, and the German centre-back could benefit from a clean sheet.
Sporting CP host LASK, who have arguably been one of the competition’s weakest sides so far. Investing in Sporting players could therefore prove particularly rewarding this week. Their standout defensive option remains Sergi Altimira (€4.0m), who continues to operate out of position in midfield. This role increases his opportunities to collect ball recoveries and contribute attacking returns.
Meanwhile, Federico Dimarco (€5.0m) demonstrated his attacking potential with an assist in Inter’s previous Champions League match. The Italian side welcome Shakhtar Donetsk this week, giving them an excellent opportunity to secure their first clean sheet of the campaign. With his attacking threat offering another route to points, Dimarco looks like a strong option heading into Matchday 3.
MIDFIELDERS
Liverpool racked up six goals in Matchday 2 and once again rank among the leading sides for projected goals. The Reds have home advantage against Villarreal this week, making their attacking players particularly appealing. One standout option is Bradley Barcola (€7.0m), who produced a fantastic 20-point haul in the previous round.
Another English side expected to score well is Manchester City, who host AEK Athens following their 3-1 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk. With Antoine Semenyo sidelined through injury, Jérémy Doku (€7.5m) looks likely to start on one of the wings. The Belgian has registered a goal and an assist across his previous three appearances.
Doubling up on Manchester City’s attack could be hugely rewarding this week. Enzo Maresca’s side have won all six of their opening Premier League matches, with Rayan Cherki (€7.0m) playing an influential role. The Frenchman has already produced six goals and four assists for club and country this season, highlighting his attacking potential ahead of the meeting with AEK Athens.
After suffering a heavy 6-1 defeat against Bayern Munich last time out, there are serious question marks over RB Leipzig’s defence, particularly away from home. The German side now travel to Spain to face Real Madrid, making the hosts’ attacking players particularly appealing. One option worth considering is Vinícius Júnior (€9.5m), who could take full advantage of Leipzig’s defensive struggles.
Our projected points highlight Florian Thauvin (€6.5m) as a strong midfield selection this week. Lens struggled in Matchday 2, but Thauvin still recorded 1.19 expected goal involvements (xGI). The Frenchman also takes penalties, corners and free kicks. This gives him several routes to points. Upcoming opposition Club Brugge have struggled defensively this season.
FORWARDS
Only Aston Villa have a higher projected goal total than Roma this week. The Italian side face Slovan Bratislava, who have already conceded nine goals in the competition. Donyell Malen (€6.5m) has also impressed this season, registering eight goals and one assist across all competitions. His excellent form makes him a shoo-in against a vulnerable defence.
Excluding Viking’s attackers, who have played considerably more matches, the most in-form forwards in Europe are clear to see. Luis Suárez (€7.1m) is one of them, having delivered returns in both Champions League matches so far. The Sporting CP forward continues to score regularly and also takes penalties, adding to his Fantasy appeal.
Completing the frontline and our Real Madrid attacking double-up is penalty taker Kylian Mbappé (€11.0m). The Frenchman has scored in both of his opening Champions League matches and has been in excellent form domestically. With 11 goals and two assists across all competitions this season, Mbappé looks well placed to continue his impressive run against RB Leipzig.
UCL FANTASY MATCHDAY 3 SCOUT PICKS
