Champions League

The best forwards for UEFA Champions League Fantasy

The start of the UEFA Champions League group stage is less than a week away and the competition’s official, free-to-play Fantasy game is now live.

Champions League match tickets, Playstation 5 consoles and cash in the UEFA store are up for grabs, while Premium Memberships will also be dished out to the leaders in our Fantasy Football Scout mini-league (PIN: 65KAB8EHX307).

The final of these three introductory articles for UEFA Champions League Fantasy focuses on the forwards. The scoring for forwards is again very similar to Fantasy Premier League, with the balls recovered statistic rarely benefitting them.

READ MORE: The best Champions League goalkeepers and defenders
READ MORE: The best Champions League midfielders
READ MORE: How to play Champions League Fantasy

SIGN UP TO PLAY UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FANTASY HERE

Premium Forwards (€9.5m-€12m)

When the world’s strongest sides come together, it brings with it an inevitable saturation of top-quality players. This is most clearly shown in the premium forwards category. These players can score big any or every week and having a couple in your team appears to be a necessity. 

Picking a starting point in this category was tough but I’ve gone for Bayern’s newly crowned UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, Robert Lewandowski (€12.0m). He top-scored in last season’s competition with 15 goals in just 11 games, is on penalties, and is nailed in the best side in world football at the moment. Fresh off the back of his four-goal haul against Hoffenheim, Lewandowski looks like the most secure forward pick for the group stages.

That means Lionel Messi (€12.0m) is second on this list. Although he’s only scored once in his first three games this season, he has two assists to his name and has a home banker against Ferencváros on Matchday 1 – so could be the perfect captain to fire your season off to a great start.

Next up is Erling Haaland (€11.0m). He has four goals and an assist in his first three league games and faces three questionable defences in the group stage. Last season he scored two or more goals a whopping 12 times. Playing in a better side for the group stages this year, Haaland could run riot.

Another young star costing €11.0m, Kylian Mbappe is only getting better. He has two goals and four assists from three games this term and PSG are looking better after a shaky league start. Both Mbappe and Neymar (€11.5m) will be in and around the goals every week as PSG look to go one better than last year. Their games against a dysfunctional Manchester United defence and Turkish relegation-strugglers Istanbul Başakşehir could produce big scorelines for the duo.

Two Serie A forwards complete this section. Inter’s Romelu Lukaku (€11.0m) has penalties and is in incredible form, making him a slightly better option than his strike partner Lautaro Martinez (€10.5m). Atalanta’s 13 goals in their first three games has fired them to the top of Serie A and Duvan Zapata (€9.5m) has got a goal and two assists. After 19 goals and nine assists through 33 games last season, Zapata could be a slightly less popular gem to fire you up the ranks with his opening games against Midtjylland and Ajax.

It’s of course worth keeping an eye on a few players unavailable for Matchday 1, especially Cristiano Ronaldo (€12.0m). He should return for Matchday 3, where he then plays Ferencváros home and away. The fitness of Manchester City’s two main strikers, Gabriel Jesus (€9.5m) and Sergio Aguero (€10.0m) should also be high on your watchlist.

Mid-Priced Forwards (€7m-€9m)

The best forwards for UEFA Champions League Fantasy

The choices in this section are few and far between, but what there is, is of very high quality. Atalanta’s captain and darling Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez (€8.5m) has started the season with four goals and two assists in just three games and has a place in this author’s team firmly secured with his kind opening fixtures and “nailed-ness”. Ronaldo’s absence paves the way for Paulo Dybala (€9.0m) to return to the starting XI alongside Alvaro Morata (€9.0m) . Named Serie A’s MVP last season, he could be a shrewd early differential,

Jesse Marsch’s Red Bull Salzburg play flowing, attacking football which helped Haaland to eight goals in six group stage games last season. Patson Daka (€7.5m) has scored seven goals and four assists through 10 games so far in the Austrian Bundesliga, as well as a couple against Liverpool in pre-season. Playing against Lokomotiv Moscow and Bayern’s high line, which has been shaky in their early games, he could feast like Haaland. 

Finishing off this section are two established goalscorers from middling Champions League teams. Zenit’s Artem Dzyuba (€8.0m) has been a staple of UCL scoresheets for a decade now and, like Daka, has seven goals and four assists through his first 10 games of this season. With Club Brugge up first and Lazio in Matchdays 3 and 4, he could be another smart differential.

Olympiacos’ Youssef El-Arabi (€8.0m) scored three goals in his three Champions League starts last season, 17 goals in 25 starts in the league and has scored in his last two for the Greek giants. Starting out against Marseille and Porto could bring goals for the Moroccan talisman.

Budget Forwards (€4.5m-€6.5m)

The best forwards for UEFA Champions League Fantasy 1

These options really are quite sparse in both quantity and quality. The best is clearly Rennes‘ new signing Serhou Guirassy (€6.5m). The Frenchman has three goals and an assist in five league games for the French league leaders. If he takes advantage of matches against Chelsea’s dire defence and Russian mid-tablers Krasnodar, Guirassy should turn out to be the best budget forward in the game. 

Dynamo Kyiv’s Vladislav Supryaha (€6.5m) got a goal and two assists through their three qualifying games for the UCL, but games against Juventus and Barcelona definitely suggest there are better options elsewhere.

Ajax’s Antony (€6.0m) has two goals in the four games he’s started this season but was subbed off for his likely replacement David Neres (€8.5m) in the last game.

Any of the cheaper options are either unsure starters, or simply poor picks.

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For further Champions League Fantasy reading and discussion, head over to our Community article page.

861 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Catastrophe
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    A) Bench KDB (start Brewster and Justin)
    B) KDB -> Mane/Sterling/JRod/Grealish (-4) (start Brewster)
    C) KDB & Wilson -> Kane (c) & JRod/Grealish (-8)
    D) Something Else

    Already have Son (c) and Salah.

    Cheers.

    1. Holding Matip
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      will you likely bring KDB back in the future? if yes then A

  2. jam sandwich
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    g2g?

    Martinez
    Robertson - Semedo - Lamptey
    Salah - Son (c) - Pulisic - Rodriguez
    Kane (v) - DCL - Maupay

    Steer - Dallas - Bissouma - KWP

    1. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      GTG!

    2. AF90
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Have you WC this week? Considering something similar with Grealish instead of Rodriguez

  3. Drogba Legend
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    What to do with KDB if on WC?

    1. Samwise
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      im going to change him for Aguero... saves 1m and I think a better option if he plays consistently

    2. MarcusAurelius
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Don’t include him in your wildcard

    3. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Deselect

    4. Pegboy
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Not pick him? If you really want, you can leave enough money to upgrade one of your other midfielders easily.

    5. Drogba Legend
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Cheers all. Will probably go without him then and then shift Kane out and upgrade a mid if KDB starts hauling again

    6. danieltbl21
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Double up on Spurs assets could be a good option.

      News around him was way too ambigious .

  4. Samwise
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    will Aguero play?

    1. ArseneAllTheWay
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      nah, give it a couple weeks

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I'd put money on it. Wish I could get him this week

      1. Captain_Shirokov
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        too soon for him surely?

  5. AF90
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Shall I WC this team? Already used FT & was thinking about using it next week but with KDB out may just pull the trigger now??

    McCarthy (Steer)
    TAA, Coady, Justin (Mitchell, Lascelles)
    Salah, KDB, Rodriguez, Barnes, Podence
    DCL, Brewster (Adams)

    1. Pegboy
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I think I probably would if I planned to the following week anyway.

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I would WC that team.

  6. Kodap
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    With KDB out, what would you do?

    1. KDB > Sterling -8
    2. Play one of Dallas, Lamptey or Burke.

    1. Pegboy
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Play Dallas or Lamptey

      1. Botman and Robben
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Lamptey

    2. Dwotle
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Play Dallas or Lamptey

  7. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Pages flying again

  8. Don Kloppeone
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bottomed. Awful question I know but...

    A) Mitchell, Bissouma
    B) 3.9, Soucek

    Defender is a 5th defender and Mid will be benched this week at least

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      3.9 and Stephens. Every cent counts going into your starting XI.

      1. Don Kloppeone
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Surely a bench with 2 deadweights is too weak on WC?

        1. Camzy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Nah. Stephens plays. That's all you need really. As an active manager you should be able to manage with 1 decent rotating first sub and Stephens with emergency 2 pointers.

          1. Don Kloppeone
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            I hear that...

            If I went down that road, where would you use 0.5m extra in the starting 11 here?

            Martinez
            Robbo, Chilwell, KWP
            Salah, Son, Pulisic, Grealish
            Kane (C), DCL, Maupay
            (Forster) (Dallas, Stephens, 3.9)

  9. XabiAlonso
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Any hits needed
    Ryan
    Taa Mitchell kwp
    Salah son(c) grealish pulisic
    Ings Jimi DCL

  10. Rossaldinho
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Just for fun - my current wildcard squad. Languishing around 3m so hope this lot moves me up a bit. Comments welcome!

    Ryan
    Dallas/Lamptey/Chilwell
    Son/Rodriguez/Salah/Barkley
    Maupay/DCL/Kane

    Bench: Martinez/Soucek/Justin/Mitchell

    1. Gomolon
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Wouldn't go for double BRI defence, play Martinez and swap Ryan to a 4.0 for extra money in your starting 11. Also Justin only has a couple weeks before losing his place when Pereira returns so I'd upgrade that slot (Saiss/KWP/Regulon/LIV defender). Aside from that looking good 🙂

  11. Captain_Shirokov
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    The best 4.5m defender in FPL is: ______

    Go!

    1. Dwotle
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Dallas

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      KWP

    3. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Lamptey

    4. Peteski29
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Dallas

  12. Threat Level Midnight
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Aguero time?

  13. The Alli Way
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    KDB, Podence and Brewster to Son, Soucek and Kane for a -8? Long term move unlikely to backfire this week unless Podence goes crazy

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Yes, can’t go wrong with Kane and Son.

  14. You've got red on you.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bench is pretty poor, have Lamptey, Mitchell and Dunne. So:

    a) Play Bissouma

    b) Another -4 to do KDB ---> Sterling/Fernandes/Pulisic/Grealish

  15. ArseneAllTheWay
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    WC this team or nah? (on a -4 already)

    McCarthy (Steer)
    TAA, Coady, Justin (Mitchell, Taylor)
    Salah, Son, Rodriguez, Soucek (Reed)
    DCL, Jimi, Wilson
    (5.3itb)

  16. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Pulisic or Havertz?

    Why?

    1. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      puli
      proven in fpl

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        that's fair. just coming back from a big lay-off though, and Havertz was good over IB were the main reasons I'm wavering

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I think both will do well. Pulisic looked fantastic before injury last season. Pick of the bunch if he can hit the ground running.

    3. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Pulisic long term.

    4. The Mighty I
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Havertz for a security of a start but Pulisic for upside.
      For me I would like to see Pulisic get a few games under his belt before picking him.

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        That was kinda my thinking also, but KDB injury and also Podence starting doubt forcing my hand with only Saiss on the bench

    5. The Train Driver
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      You've been asking this the past 6 hours...

    6. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Pulisic. He's cheaper and more proven.

    7. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Havertz because he's not a crock

    8. danieltbl21
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      GW 5 would be a good way to assess.

      But I'd personally go Puli

    9. Peteski29
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Puli

  17. Nomar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Really tempted to go for Bruno. On pens.

    Obvious move is KdB to Son, but tempted to get Kane instead for his pens as well....

    Hmmmmm.....

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I was very tempted by this myself and went for Sin and Kane double up in the end purely because united look horrific

      1. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        I know United looked bad but they still score goals and they’ll get loads of pens.

        It’s either that or just get Son and keep Ings.

        IMO, assuming you have Mané or Mo already, the only 3 mids to change KdB for are Son, Bruno or Raz.

  18. Vlekz
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I did bruno to son earlier. Now kdb flagged.
      Should I do kdb to bruno/pulisic/havertz now? It's that or Mitchell/bissouma off the bench.
      Salah son KDB* (bissouma/reed)
      Werner Adams DCL

    • bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      McCarthy
      TAA, Justin, Mitchell
      KDB, Salah, Mahrez, Soucek
      Jimenez, DCL, Ings

      Forster, Lamptey, Saiss, Alzate

      0.1m ITB

      A) KDB to Son (c)
      B) KDB and Ings to Son and Kane (c) for a hit
      C) KDB and Alzate to Son (c) and Rodriguez (bench Soucek) for a hit.

    • Vovhund
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      WC out of this??:

      McCarthy-Nyland
      TAA-Justin-Coady-Taylor-Micthell
      Salah-KDB-Son-ASM-Bissouma
      Werner-Mitro-DCL

      Already did Rashford to Son.

      Would love to get Jimenez and Pulisic in. Happy about current defence.

    • LewanGOALski
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Last WC dilemma

      Martinez
      Robertson - Chilwell - Dallas - ___ - Mitchell
      Salah - Son - Grealish - ___ - ___
      Kane - DCL - Maupay

      Which for the missing spots?

      A) Saiss - J.Rodriguez - Soucek
      or
      B) KWP - Pulisic - Soucek
      or
      C) Saiss - Pulisic - Bissouma
      ..?

      1. The Mighty I
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Been reading that Swiss may of played himself out of a starting berth?
        If so, you’d want to avoid him.

        1. The Mighty I
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          *Saiss

      2. Peteski29
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        A

    • Flynny
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      What to do with podence? Do people think he starts this week? I have my doubts.

      A.....keep podence (Mitchell lamptey on bench)

      B.....podence to pulisic - 4

      C....pulisic to sterling - 4

      Thanks

    • Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      People need to realize that City are now quite crap without their best players. No KDB, no Sane, no David Silva, no Aguero. An aging defensive midfield. Their best players from seasons past are gone, injured or ancient. They will be struggling a lot this season, night crack top 4 if they are lucky. Bald fraud to leave the sinking ship at christmas

    • aguerreiro
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      McCarthy (Steer)
      TAA, Davies, Justin (Mitchell, Vinagre)
      Salah, KDB, Zaha, Pereira, Podence
      DCL, Werner (Adams)

      1ft and 0.5 itb
      Should i wildcard this team?

      1. Pegboy
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Yep. Bavies, Justin, Mitchell, Vinagre, Podence (arguably Zaha), Werner and Adams all probably need addressing now or very soon.

    • Pukkipartyy
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Who to bench?
      Hamez, Foden, Brewster

      1. Pegboy
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Brewster is the very easy choice here.

    • have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Hmm now I did KDB to son I now have 7.9 itb

      1. ElliotJHP
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Interest rates are awful I'd invest it

        1. have you seen cyan
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          😀

    • @fpl_phenom
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Thoughts on Antonio?

      is it too early to bring him in next week ?

      1. Pegboy
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Spurs away is a pretty good fixture for him.

      2. ElliotJHP
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Saves a later transfer

      3. Dwotle
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Great pick. Would even consider now.

      4. The Mighty I
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        6.3, good stats, bad fixtures don’t seem too much of a negative impact, West Ham in form.

      5. danieltbl21
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Good option if you're on a WC and can definitely get returns even against strong teams.

        Otherwise he's a good pick for GW 8 onwards and would even be my captain that week.

    • Manani
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      KDB to Son?
      or just keep him and play Brewster/Podence

      1. Manani
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        will be saving FT

      2. danieltbl21
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Good chance that Podence doesn't play but if you have Brewster just play him.

        Although Pep's news on KDB was a little vague

    • danieltbl21
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Which 2 would you play among:

      Justin AVL (H)
      Ayling WOL (H)
      Mitchell BHA (H)

      1. Peteski29
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Ayling Mitchell

    • Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Oh wow I just realized I could end up with this midfield next week if the stars align...

      Salah Son Bale Havertz Pulisic

      KdB > Pulisic this week. Next week I can afford Foden > Bale xD

      1. Dexters Laboratory
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Bale or Grealish?