The UEFA Champions League is back after a three-week break and there are some massive ties lying ahead.
So, here’s a run-through of what you need to know for your UCL Fantasy captains and the player picks ahead of Matchday 3 (MD3).
There are some incredible prizes on offer in this free-to-play Fantasy game even for late entrants, from Champions League final tickets to Playstation 5s and replica shirts.
If you’re new to the game or just need a reminder of the rules, check out our ‘how to play’ guide below.
And don’t forget to join the official FFScout UCL League (pin code: 33TKWHOD07), where there will be additional prizes on offer.
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TEAMS TO BACK
CHELSEA
Malmo have scored none, conceded seven and looked thoroughly underwhelming throughout the first two UCL Matchdays. Whilst Thomas Tuchel will play a rotated side, he’s aware that they need three points after the loss to Juventus and we should still see some serious firepower on the pitch. This could be a great game for Kai Havertz (9.0m), Marcos Alonso (5.0m) and Ruben Loftus-Cheek (6.0m) to really prove their worth.
BAYERN MUNICH
Bayern’s first-half drubbing of Bayer Leverkusen was one of the most impressive halves of football I’ve seen. They’re averaging nearly four goals per game in the Bundesliga and have scored eight in their first two UCL games this season. Benfica are a solid side but so were Leverkusen before Bayern came to town. Julian Nagelsmann’s side is dripping with attacking quality and any of Robert Lewandowski (11.6m), Thomas Müller (9.5m), Serge Gnabry (10.0m), Leroy Sane (9.0m) and Joshua Kimmich (6.5m) could be considered essential picks in their own right.
RB SALZBURG
Salzburg have impressed in the UCL so far and Wolfsburg are now on six competitive games without a win under Mark van Bommel. Karim Adeyemi (7.1m) is clearly the star but Brendan Aaronson (5.5m), Noah Okafor (5.0m), Rasmus Kristensen (4.5m) and Maximilian Wöber (4.0m) are all also strong picks in their own right. With star striker Wout Weghorst (8.0m) ruled out, Wolfsburg will be on the back foot from the get-go.
PSG
Leipzig have crumbled at every sign of pressure or stiff competition so far this season, which bodes well for Mauricio Pochettino’s men. With Nuno Mendes (4.5m) and Achraf Hakimi (6.5m) at full-back, then Kylian Mbappe (10.5m) and Lionel Messi (11.0m) up front, PSG could rout die Roten Bullen.
BARCELONA
I didn’t think I’d include Barcelona in this list at all this season but I was impressed by their weekend win over Valencia. The return of Ansu Fati (7.5m) and emergence of Gavi (5.0m) has rejuvenated the Blaugrauna and they’ll be hoping to build on their win with the visit of a Dynamo Kyiv side which Bayern Munich put five past on MD2.
CAPTAINCY
TUESDAY 19 OCTOBER
Captain Sensible: Kylian Mbappe
PSG proved their quality against Manchester City on MD2 and now face an RB Leipzig who have seriously struggled against decent opposition so far this season. Mbappe has an assist in both UCL games this season and has five goals and four assists in the league. He’s fresh from a goal and an assist against Angers at the weekend and is in better form than Messi on the other wing.
Captain Differential (less than 10% owned): Lautaro Martinez (10m)
I’m loathe to continue underestimating Sheriff Tiraspol but something has to give at some point. Lautaro Martinez has five goals in six Serie A starts and is on penalties for an Inter Milan side who desperately need a win to kick-start their UCL campaign. With just 1% ownership and very few ‘great’ fixtures this week, he could be the perfect differential.
WEDNESDAY 20 OCTOBER
Captain Sensible: Robert Lewandowski
Lewandowski is a goalscoring machine from the most in-form side in world football. He grabbed braces on MD1 and MD2, with nine goals from eight Bundesliga games this season. Regardless of fixture, Lewandowski can score big and he could well add another brace against Benfica on Wednesday.
Captain Differential (less than 10% owned): Kai Havertz
Expect wholesale changes from Tuchel ahead of Malmo’s visit. Havertz has struggled for form and starts this season but this presents a perfect opportunity for him to both start and prove his worth to this Chelsea side.
SPOT THE DIFFERENTIAL
A selection of players who are less than 5% owned to help your team climb the ranks on MD3.
- Arnaut Groeneveld (Villarreal – 1% – 6.0m) – Groeneveld, or Danjuma as he’s more commonly known, has a goal and an assist from his first two UCL appearances and has four goals in his last six La Liga games, including a brace against Real Betis. Facing Young Boys, the former Bournemouth man is a great differential option for your team, despite Villarreal’s poor domestic form.
- Karim Adeyemi (RB Salzburg – 4% – 7.1m) – Adeyemi is in searing form and is reportedly in talks with both Bayern and Dortmund over a move back to the Bundesliga. He’s the third highest scoring player in UCL Fantasy so far and is against a Wolfsburg side in dreadful form. He has 8 goals and an assist from 10 Austrian Bundesliga games and is somehow still only 4% owned.
- Ansu Fati (Barcelona – 2% – 7.5m) – Fati is a special talent and finally back to full fitness after a long lay-off. He’s got two goals in just 94 minutes of football since returning and started his first game of the season in the weekend win over Valencia. Dynamo Kyiv don’t present overly tough opposition for a Barcelona side that seem to be re-finding their feet and Fati could star.
- Marcos Alonso (Chelsea – 5% – 5.0m) – Predicting Tuchel’s wing-back rotation is a risky game but I back Alonso to start at home to Malmo, in theoretically the easiest game of Chelsea’s group stage. Ben Chilwell (5.5m) started and starred at the weekend and will likely be saved for the league. Despite putting in some less than impressive performances of late, Alonso should get the nod and do well against the minnows of Group H.
- Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich – 1% – 10.0m) – As with the entire Bayern team, Gnabry’s performance levels have elevated under Julian Nagelsmann. The German winger got his second brace of the season against Leverkusen on Sunday and now has five goals in eight league games for 2021/22. Bayern are steamrolling everything in front of them (except Kevin Trapp) and, despite Benfica’s current good form, this game should be no different.
2 years, 11 months ago
Ramsdale
Duffy Rudiger Shaw
Gallagher Salah(c) Gray Benrahma
Antonio Ronaldo Lukaku
Foster Sarr Coady Livra
A) Ronnie + Shaw --> Toney + Chilwell (2FT)
B) Ronnie + Shaw --> Vardy + Chilwell (2FT)
D) Ronnie + Shaw + Benrahma --> Toney + Chilwell + KDB (-4)