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. TheDragon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Few questions which I’d guess quite a lot of people have

    A) Pulisic or Rodriguez
    B) Marcal, Saiss or Semedo
    C) Pick 2 of KWP, Dallas, Lamptey
    D) Captain Kane or Son

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

      A) Pulisic if you already have DCL
      B) Saiss
      C) KWP and Lamptey
      D) Kane, just

    2. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      A)Havertz until puli is settled again
      B)semedo unless needing the cash in which case saiss
      C)Dallas & lamptey
      D)Kane

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

      A) Pulisic
      B) Semendo
      C) Dallas & Lamptey
      D) Son

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

      Rod
      Sem
      Lamp, KWP
      Son

  2. AU79
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Is Brewster likely to start?

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

    Did Pep give any news on Sterling injury?

  4. Von Lipwig
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Downgrading Grealish+Maupay to Trossard+Watkins allows me to get my ideal team for the rest, but is the cost too high? Are Trossard and Watkins good enough picks for the first 11? What do you think?

    1. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I prefer Watkins over Grealish even if he cost more. Like trossard too

    2. It's his Job.
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Grealish is on fire?

    3. Firmino
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Is Grealish -> Barkley enough?

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

    On a Wc

    McCarthy
    TAA Chilwell Lamptey
    Salah Son Grealish James
    Kane DCL Wilson

    Button KWP Bissouma Mitchell

    Trent + Mitchell to Robbo + 4.5mil def

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Yes

  6. It's his Job.
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Struggling to pick from these in my team for the armband?

    Kane**
    Son***
    Salah***
    Rodriguez**
    DCL**
    Zaha*

    Prob toss a coin between Son/Salah

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

      If you have a 3 sided coin, put Kane in there too.

      1. It's his Job.
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        You know I may just go with Kane as I do have a feeling it's time for his haul of goals rather than being the assist king...

        1. Tinkermania
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          I have Kane but he is not looking like someone about to haul. It all depends on Son turning up.

    2. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      All good options, gone Kane myself

      1. It's his Job.
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        I was going with Son purely due to rest compared to Kane/Salah Intl Duties

        1. It's his Job.
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Sorry was going Son/Salah due to rest Kane had Intl Duties

  7. Hoblito
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Son and Maupay or Trossard and Kane? What do you think?

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

    Trying to finalise my wildcard.

    Base:

    Martinez - (Steer)
    Saiss - Trent/Robbo - XX (Mitchell) - (Dunne)
    Salah - Rodriguez - XX - XX - (Jorginho)
    Kane - XX - XX

    Where I have placed XX I am still trying to figure out exactly who I want.

    Defense: I would like Chillwell, obviously more expensive, he did have a slight knock though IIRC. I am not opposed to have a 4.5m defender, possibly Ayling, KWP or someone else (recommendations appreciated).

    Midfield - There's a few players to pick between for me:
    - Son: Great form, 4 great fixtures, do I want to double him up with Kane though?
    - Grealish: Looks good so far, but If I get Watkins up front I don't want to double down on Villa attackers.
    - Zaha: Great run of fixtures, potential penalty taker.
    - H.Barnes: Looks sharp so far this season, nice to have a Leicester player in considering I don't have Vardy and looks nailed.

    Up front:
    - Wilson: Penalty taker. Playing furthest up the field. Plays for a team that don't get many shots on target. United/Wolves next 2 fixtures.
    - Maupay: Penalty taker. Brighton look decent going forward.
    - Watkins: Cheaper than above two. Furthest up top and looks nailed for a Villa side that look confident.
    - Brewster: Cheapest of the lot, allows for more money elsewhere in team, isn't nailed (yet).

    Any glaringly obvious players/potential differentials that I have missed out on? Feedback much appreciated!

    JTR.

    1. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Go for Dallas/KWP over Chilwell. Don’t rate Chelsea’s defense at all. Up top you need DCL and I’d get Maupay too. Then midfield Grealish and Son. I would downgrade Jorginho for extra funds too

  9. schlupptheweek
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    I think KDB vs West Ham will be great as a differential. As long as we get information early next week then losing just 0.1M (if he falls to 11.4M) could be worth it.

  10. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Repost, bottomed a few pages back.

    Been going back and forth on which defenders to play. And now KDB is out.

    Does this look GTG?

    Martinez
    James Saiss Digne
    Foden Salah Son(C) Grealish
    Jimenez DCL Brewster

    (Steer Ayling Justin KDB*) 0FT 0.2m

    Thanks

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

      You're g2g

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

      Looking really good, not too fare off the WC teams tbh

      1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Wow, thanks (:

  11. aapoman
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    A. Trossard, Chilwell and Semedo
    or
    B. Hamez, Lamptey and KWP

  12. Aladdin Sané
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Have Son already. What would you do?

    A) KDB to Pulisic (free)
    B) Werner + KDB to Kane + Pulisic (-4)

    1. Hoblito
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      A for me.

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

      A

  13. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Sheffield United presser done? Any news on Oliver Burke?

  14. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Been out the loop today - I’ve still got kdb but No spurs players and no obvious captain either

    Kdb > son for a -4 and cap son seems the boring but obvious move to make ?

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

      Yeah, sounds sensible

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

      same position im benching,playing soucek at 8foot 3 ins he will surely score past toby and jiminez captain ,hey ho,might be great if kdb is back for whu next week when everybodys dumped him

  15. john25
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bottom of last page.

    Hey guys, how nailed on is Semedo? Any chance Wolves puts Traore in for him or change formation that could cause Semedo to get rotated?

    Cheers

  16. UnitednationsXI
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Who scores more this gw only?

    A: 2 starters from James (SOT) / Lamptey (cry) / Mitchell (BRI) + 4 points vs.
    B: 1 starter from James / Lamptey / Mitchell + Salah

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

      Just debating whether to bring in Salah this gw for a hit (already on -4 so this would make it -8)...or just play an extra defender and bring in Salah for free next gw

    2. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      A

  17. Flynny
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    How is best podence replacement (for a hit)

    A....pulisic

    B....Sterling

    C....keep

    Thanks

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

      A

  18. Will J 256
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Start Brewster or Podence?

  19. NUFCAndrew
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Wildcard this? just seems pure awful

    McCarthy Steer

    Trent Saiss Justin Branthwaite Mitchell

    Salah KDB Bruno Soucek Bissouma

    Ings DCL Mitro

  20. FantasyHero
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Help needed! Options for WC team:

    A. Robbo casta grealish maupay
    B. Robbo lamptey trossard jimmy
    C. Casta lamptey grealish jimmy
    D. Casta chillwell puli maupay

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

    Think that's my WildCard sorted at last:

    Martinez / Forster

    Robertson / Semedo / Lamptey / Dallas / Ferguson

    Salah / Son / Pulisic / Grealish / Stephens

    Kane / DCL / Watkins

    £0.3m itb

  22. n14mul
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Good evening and welcome back everyone.....

    Which is the better pick over the next 6-8 gw?

    A. Kane & podence/soucek
    B. Walking & son

    Thank you

  23. thomashl
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    KdB -> Son (c) for -4?

    Already on one hit, so the total would be -8.

    1. mr messi
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I’m in the same boat.

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

        Tempted to throw my wildcard - or close my eyes and take solace in the fact that many others will be in our boat

        1. mr messi
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          You are only losing 4 points, might pay off

    2. FantasyHero
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      -4 hit isn't bad for kdb to son. Worst case scenario you will be -2 and I dont think it will be the worst case scenario.

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

        True - the alternative is to play Taylor v West Brom, so the math isn’t necessarily just -2, but I did the transfer with the option to wildcard before the deadline tomorrow! Might just give in, haha

        1. FantasyHero
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          plus price drop of kdb...so ya not simple decision

          taylor vs wba not bad either...can see a possible CS

  24. Call Me Old Fashioned
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Used 2FT and have A LOT in bank. Any of these worth a -4?

    McCarthy
    TAA, Mitchell, Taylor
    Grealish, Salah, Son(C), Podence
    Mitrovic, Ings, DCL

    Steer, Lascelles, Bissouma, Justin

    1 - Mitrovic to Kane(C)
    2 - Ings to Kane(C)
    3 - Podence to Bruno/Sterling
    4 - Podence to JRod

  25. noone
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Already did -4 before price changes for Foden, Werner, KWP——- Son, Brewster, Chilwell.

    Is it worth it to ship out KDB for another hit?

    Two out of Mitchell, Burke, Brewster, Lamptey need to play this GW!

  26. mr messi
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Already taken a hit, worth doing KDB to Son for another? Alternative is play Bissouma.

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

      im benching kdb

    2. FantasyHero
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Look at my reply above

  27. Connor's Calling
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Anyone worried about going double Spuds vs a WH defence that’s just kept out Leicester and Wolves? Thinking about Pulisic over Son to partner Kane

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

      Overthinking maybe

    2. FantasyHero
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      High risk high reward

  28. 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. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      A

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

        Cheers

  29. southcoastbeast
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    My wc team, pretty happy with it. Any changes anyone recommend ???

    Martinez
    Semedo chillwell robbo
    Salah son grealish Rodriguez
    Dcl kane maupay

    (Button jorginho dallas Mitchell)

  30. baines is god
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    I've gone for a rogue Mahrez captaincy

    1. skodaole2
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Nice differential, thinking of going for a differential captain myself, good luck!

    2. @persecuted_by_mods
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Pain incoming