It’s time to nail down our Matchday 4 Scout Picks for UEFA Champions League (UCL) Fantasy.
Remember, these selections are for the upcoming Matchday in isolation. UCL Fantasy also allows manual substitutions from calendar day to calendar day, so it’s a strong squad of 15 we want and not a mere starting XI with unusable bench fodder.
For everything else UCL Fantasy-related, check out our complete Matchday 4 guide here.
Goalkeepers
Goalkeepers generally have limited scoring potential in any round, so it makes sense to spend as little as possible here and invest more heavily in the outfield positions.
With that approach, Napoli’s Vanja Milinković-Savić (€4.0m) stands out. He has a home fixture against Frankfurt, which gives a decent chance of returns at a low cost.
If Milinković-Savić doesn’t deliver, the back-up option is Luiz Júnior (€3.9m). Villarreal face a Pafos side that ranks among the weakest in the competition, offering strong clean-sheet potential and an easy pivot between matchdays.
Defenders
Inter have continued their strong defensive form from last season, keeping three clean sheets in as many Champions League matches. Their back-three system gives the wing-backs plenty of freedom, making Denzel Dumfries (€6.1m) and Federico Dimarco (€5.5m) appealing options. A home fixture against a struggling Kairat side provides both clean sheet security and attacking upside for the pair.
Another potential double-up is Gabriel Magalhaes (€5.5m) and Myles Lewis-Skelly (€4.5m) from Arsenal. Rotation is likely for the Premier League side, but UCL Fantasy managers benefit from seeing the confirmed line-up before the deadline. Arsenal have been outstanding defensively – seven clean sheets in the Premier League and three from three in the Champions League – so investing in two defenders could pay off.
Completing the defence is Malick Thiaw (€4.5m). Newcastle have proven themselves again this season, with clean sheets in half of their Premier League matches and two of their three UCL fixtures. Thiaw also leads his defender teammates for attempts on goal, adding a small but valuable attacking threat.
Midfielders
Barcelona once again showed their attacking power with a 6-1 win over Olympiakos in Matchday 3. They now face Club Brugge, who are coming off a 4-0 defeat, so targeting the Catalan midfield looks sensible. Fermín López (€6.4m) comes in off the back of a hat-trick, while Lamine Yamal (€9.9m) has delivered at least one attacking return in 11 of his first 13 matches this season.
Napoli sit top of Serie A and have a strong chance to respond after their disappointing loss to PSV. With Kevin De Bruyne sidelined, Scott McTominay (€7.0m) should retain a key role. He scored twice against PSV and followed that up with another goal versus Inter, so his goal threat remains high.
Juventus have been inconsistent, but they are unbeaten at home and this is a venue where they have scored four against both Inter and Dortmund earlier in the campaign. The standout option remains Kenan Yıldız (€6.7m). He didn’t start the most recent league game, but reliable sources have confirmed he is fit and available.
Finally, access to the Arsenal team news before the deadline could be crucial. They play a struggling Slavia Praha side, and rotation is expected. If Bukayo Saka (€9.5m) is named in the starting XI, he becomes a near-essential pick due to penalties and overall involvement.
Forwards
Erling Haaland (€10.6m) continued his outstanding form at the weekend, scoring twice – the seventh time he has managed a brace for club and country already this season. Dortmund may appear a tougher matchup on paper, but they have shown defensive weaknesses in the Champions League. Facing his former club and playing at home provides two additional advantages for the Norwegian penalty taker.
Galatasaray were impressive in their victory over Bodø/Glimt in Matchday 3, and a similar scenario is possible this week against an Ajax side that rank joint-worst in the competition for goals conceded. Leading the line is Victor Osimhen (€7.5m). He scored twice and claimed Player of the Match last time out but also missed five big chances, indicating the volume of opportunities he can receive.
Atlético Madrid are yet to fully click in the Champions League, but their three consecutive La Liga wins suggest momentum is building. Central to that is Julián Álvarez (€9.0m). He is their penalty taker and now faces a USG side who have conceded eight goals across their last two Champions League matches. The fixture gives him an excellent platform to deliver.
UCL Fantasy Matchday 4 Scout Picks
