It’s time to finalise our Matchday 7 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.
GOALKEEPERS
The goalkeeper pool looks fairly thin on Tuesday, with very few sides offering strong clean-sheet potential. That makes a cheaper option worth considering, which is why Vanja Milinković-Savić (€4.1m) comes into the picture. The Napoli stopper has played his part in four clean sheets across the last six matches and now faces Copenhagen, a fixture that offers plenty of encouragement.
Wednesday does not present many standout options either, but Atalanta’s Marco Carnesecchi (€4.8m) could be the best of the bunch. The Italian has helped his side keep three clean sheets in their previous four matches, and faces a home match against a poor Athletic Club frontline.
DEFENDERS
Alejandro Grimaldo (€6.1m) continues to justify his premium price, even if Leverkusen remain unpredictable. The attacking wing-back has returned at least nine points in each of his last three outings and already boasts nine attacking returns from 12 Bundesliga matches this season.
Juventus also warrant consideration at the back. Three clean sheets in their last four league matches point to improved defensive solidity, and a home meeting with Benfica adds to the appeal. For minutes security, Pierre Kalulu (€4.5m) stands out as their most reliable option.
Newcastle also catch the eye on home turf. Three clean sheets from their opening six matches is encouraging, and they face PSV next. One of the most reliable routes into the backline is via Malick Thiaw (€4.8m), who also has goal threat from set-plays.
Club Brugge have a fantastic opportunity ahead of them. Playing in the early kick-off against a woeful Kairat outfit should provide a platform for their defence to keep a clean sheet. One of several options you could select is budget pick Joel Ordonez (€4.0m).
Real Madrid host Monaco in Matchday 7. Los Blancos have been hit and miss from a defensive perspective, but the fixture ahead should give them the chance to add another clean sheet to their collection. Dean Huijsen (€4.4m) is the cheapest and most reliable route into the backline.
MIDFIELDERS
Kenan Yıldız (€6.7m) has also caught the eye in Europe, particularly in recent rounds. A home fixture in Italy brings both attacking and defensive upside, and Yıldız looks like Juventus’ standout attacking option after delivering returns in both Matchday 5 and Matchday 6.
Bayern arrive in strong shape, having lost just once in their last 10 matches, and they continue to rank among the competition’s top scorers. Michael Olise (€8.2m) feels hard to ignore, with an outstanding 19 goal contributions in 17 Bundesliga appearances this season.
Barcelona average more than two goals per game and face a shaky Slavia Praha defence next. With Lamine Yamal suspended, Raphinha (€9.3m) looks set to take centre stage. He comes into the round in red-hot form, with four goals and two assists across his last three matches.
There is also a situation to monitor at Chelsea. Cole Palmer is struggling with a thigh issue and could miss the home clash with Pafos. If that happens, Enzo Fernández (€6.6m) would likely assume penalty-taking duties. The Argentine already leads all Premier League midfielders for non-penalty expected goal involvement, which adds further appeal.
To enable premium options in the team, we could look to Club Brugge’s Hans Vanaken (€5.3m). The Belgian side have already proven themselves in attack during the current campaign, scoring three goals past Barcelona and four past Monaco. So, a fixture against Kairat should provide their talisman with the opportunity to return.
FORWARDS
Budget enablers elsewhere have allowed us to load up on premium firepower up front. Leading the line is Erling Haaland (€10.7m), with the Manchester City striker also on penalties. He looks primed for returns against Bodø/Glimt, who have shipped at least two goals in five of their six matches so far. Rumours of exhaustion could pose a threat to his minutes this week, so monitoring news right up until the deadline could be a wise move.
We have already flagged Bayern Munich’s attack as one to target this week, but their meeting with Union Saint-Gilloise makes a double-up hard to ignore. At the centre of it all is Harry Kane (€10.8m), who has already hit the 20-goal mark in the Bundesliga this season and remains Bayern’s focal point in front of goal.
Rounding off the premium trio is Kylian Mbappé (€10.9m). Real Madrid are still settling under new management, but Mbappé has already produced 18- and 22-point hauls this campaign, so overlooking him for a home clash with Monaco feels like a risky call. The Frenchman has been battling an injury for some weeks, so look out for updates as we approach the deadline.
Those who want to take a risk on leaving out Haaland and Mbappe could opt for PSG’s Ousmane Dembele (€9.9m), who faces Sporting CP, or Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski (€9.3m) for his match against Slavia Praha.
UCL MATCHDAY 7 SCOUT PICKS
