Matchday 6 of UEFA Champions League (UCL) Fantasy got underway on Tuesday but managers still have the opportunity to make changes to their teams and improve their fortunes, be it via the captaincy or by bringing in a substitute or two.
MAKE CHANGES TO YOUR UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FANTASY TEAM HERE
There are eight more games this evening, so it’s time to take a look at what we learned from last night’s fixtures – including impressive displays from Ajax and Real Madrid – and what to expect from tonight’s matches.
You can read our suggestions for Wednesday captaincy, differentials and teams to target/avoid in our first UCL Fantasy piece of the week.
FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED LAST NIGHT
Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid have quietly become very, very good
Nine wins on the bounce, unbeaten in 12 and three clean sheets in a row against good sides. Much is said about the decline of Spanish football, but no-one seems to have told Real. Whilst they have struggled in the UCL for a few years now, Inter Milan still came into this game unbeaten in 11 games and with five consecutive wins under their belt. Yet Real rolled through the gears and comfortably saw off the Italians in a match that just might remind the rest of the field that Los Blancos will always be competitive in the UCL.
Atletico Madrid always get it done in the UCL
Atleti didn’t deserve to win this ill-tempered affair, yet alone for it to be 3-1. Diego Simeone’s side have been fairly uninspiring throughout this season’s competition, yet have still managed to worm their way into knockout rounds. However, you struggle to see them making it much further in this competition given the strength elsewhere across the field. They finished 11 points behind imperious group winners Liverpool and, if Antoine Griezmann hadn’t re-joined in the summer, you could only see them finishing bottom of this group.
Ajax continue to impress ahead of the knockouts
Unless there are some massive scores tonight, Ajax will either finish the group stage as the highest or second-highest scorers, potentially behind Bayern if they score a couple this evening. Whilst they may not have had the toughest group, you can only beat the teams in front of you, and that they did – convincingly. They were imperious again going forward yesterday evening, with each of their front four managing to get in on the act. Make no mistake about it, this is one of the top teams in Europe and they could go a long way in this season’s competition.
PSG show glimpses of just how good they can be
Regardless of opposition, what this game showed was how well Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi can combine. It was a glimpse into a potentially glorious future for PSG, as the two superstars danced through Club Brugge’s hapless defence when the mood took them. There were moments where this was the Lionel Messi we know and love: his first goal was taken with such calm aplomb that you couldn’t help but smile. PSG now have three months until the knockouts to hone this relationship, and it could finally secure them a UCL trophy.
Dortmund leave it far too late
What could’ve been. They restricted Besiktas to just one shot, had 70% possession and looked like a dark horse for the trophy – all once the pressure had come off and they were playing for a place in the Europa League. Marco Reus, their only shining light in recent UCL games, was excellent, Jude Bellingham showed why he’s got every Sporting Director in Europe in his missed calls and Erling Haaland’s brace off the bench looked terrifyingly easy. Yet it’s the Europa League for them, and it might just be the end of Erling Haaland’s UCL career in black and yellow.
What can we expect on Wednesday evening?
Lille to topple poor Wolfsburg
Lille are unbeaten in seven and were impressive in their Matchday 4 and 5 wins over Sevilla and RB Salzburg. Wolfsburg, on the other hand, have been dire, falling 2-0 down to Mainz four minutes into their 3-0 loss on Saturday. The most shocking statistic for Wolfsburg will be that none of their 15 shots on that afternoon were on target and they’ve now scored just once in their last three games and haven’t won in four. A win will see Lille probably deservedly top what has been a very poor group by Champions League standards.
Full-strength Bayern to knock out Barcelona
“We will play with our best team available. Greetings to Lisbon, don’t worry,” said Julian Nagelsmann in his press conference yesterday. Cut to Xavi, head in hands, in his office at the Camp Nou. Barcelona were shockingly uninspiring in their 1-0 loss to Betis at the weekend and seem streets behind Nagelsmann’s Bayern side, who beat them 3-0 on Matchday 1. This could be a rout at the Allianz.
Benfica secure their place in the last 16
With Nagelsmann and Bayern looking set to do their part, Benfica will surely do theirs in Lisbon. Not having their best time domestically but still a side full of quality, Benfica should sweep aside a Dynamo Kyiv side who have scored just once and picked up their only point in a 0-0 draw with tonight’s opponents in Matchday 1. Darwin Nunez, Rafa Silva and Alex Grimaldo are all top players and Fantasy options in form who will be great differentials this evening.
Atalanta to make it ten games unbeaten
Villarreal are winless in four league and UCL games and sit 13th in La Liga, having scored just 16 goals in 15 games. On the other hand, Atalanta lie fourth in Serie A, unbeaten in nine games, with the second-best attacking record. A win for Atalanta will secure their place in the knockout rounds. Duvan Zapata has a goal or an assist in his last eight games, with seven goals and four assists. Mario Pasalic got a hat-trick two weeks ago against Venezia and now has six goals and an assist in his last three league starts.
Juventus to sweep aside hungover title-winners Malmo
Bottom of their group with one point and a -12 goal difference, Malmo have been one of the poorest teams in this season’s competition. They confirmed their Allsvenskan title win on Saturday to great celebration, and with nothing to play for, there’s a great risk that they might not take this game too seriously. Juventus, on the other hand, know that a win could see them top their group, with Chelsea out of form ahead of their trip to Russia. Paulo Dybala, who’s scored in his last two Serie A games and got a brace and an assist against Zenit on Matchday 4, should star here.
