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With the delayed start for the official UEFA Champions League fantasy game, we began our coverage last week based on the Goal.com fantasy game, which is a lot of fun. Now that the official game is active, we'll have leagues in both games, and highly encourage you to try both! Check out the "Must Reads" box below for a breakdown of the Goal.com game. You can find a full breakdown of the UEFA.com game rules here.
Must Reads
Let's take a look at the fixture list for Matchday 2:
Tuesday, September 29
Maccabi Tel-Aviv v. Dynamo Kyiv
Zenit St Petersburg v. K.A.A. Gent
Bayern Munich v. Dinamo Zagreb
Olympique Lyonnais v. Valencia
BATE Borisov v. AS Roma
Arsenal v. Olympiacos
Wednesday, September 30
Astana v. Galatasaray
Malmo v. Real Madrid
Shakhtar Donetsk v. Paris St. Germain
Borussia Mönchengladbach v. Manchester City
Manchester United v. Wolfsburg
Atletico Madrid v. Benfica
A quick look at the fixtures reveals particularly strong match-ups for Roma, Bayern Munich, Galatasaray, Real Madrid, Zenit and Dynamo Kyiv, so you'll want to look to set the foundation of your team with players from those clubs, then supplement with some lower-cost options to complete your squad.
Here are some players I think have a great chance of delivering strong points this week and throughout the group stages:
Goalkeepers
Yuri Lodygin - Zenit face off against a relative unknown in Gent, and while it was their attack that was impressive in matchday 1, they should have enough quality in defense to make Lodygin a solid, low-cost option this time out.
Fernando Muslera - Galatasaray also face Champions League newcomers with a match against Astana. Despite the away trip, the Turkish side should be able to see off their opponents with few issues, and Muslera is one of the best shot-stoppers in the business.
Morgan De Sanctis - Roma are without Wojciech Szczesny, so De Sanctis should be a guaranteed started for the Italian side as they travel to take on BATE. You'll likely want to load up on more expensive players in the midfield and forward areas, so cheaper keepers and defenders should be your focus.
Defenders
Marcelo - Of course, sometimes it's worth it to invest in a more expensive defender, and there's hardly a better option than the Real Madrid left back. The opposition, coupled with his attacking prowess, makes him the standout choice.
Juan Bernat - The Bayern Munich youngster is an inexpensive way into Bayern Munich's defense, and the converted winger has loads of attacking talent to go along with the clean sheet potential.
Domenico Criscito - As mentioned above, Zenit have a good shot at a clean sheet this round, and Criscito is a bargain option to help you fill your squad with the most expensive players up front.
Aleksandar Dragovic - Kyiv face a Maccabi side that made the catastrophic Chelsea defense look like world champions on matchday 1. Dragovic is another budget-friendly option with high potential for picking up clean sheet points this round.
Lucas Digne - Roma have found their new left back to replace the aging Ashley Cole, and Digne put in a strong performance last time out. Another attacking fullback with a relatively low price tag and high potential for points.
Midfielders
Wesley Sneijder - The main man in the Galatasaray engine room, Sneijder has a massive amount of experience playing on the biggest stages in world football, and will be key to his side's success in the group stages. Look for him to be heavily involved in the action against Astana.
Douglas Costa - Despite a relatively quiet outing in matchday 1, I'm still recommending the Brazilian this time around. He has been the main creative force in the Bayern midfield in the Bundesliga, and as long as he remains in the starting lineup (be sure to check team news before finalizing your teams!), he should be well worth the investment.
Kevin De Bruyne - What an impact the Belgian has made since arriving at Manchester City late in the summer. With David Silva and Sergio Aguero potentially missing for the trip to Germany, De Bruyne will be the creative figurehead in the City attack, and they'll be desperate to atone for their poor run of form that began against Juventus on matchday 1.
Angel Di Maria - The former Manchester United man has found new life at PSG and put in a wonderful performance on matchday 1. I like his chances to build on that form throughout the group stages. The trip to Ukraine to take on Shakhtar poses a challenge, but the Argentine has all the tools in his locker to help his team to another victory.
Younes Belhanda - If you're looking for a potential bargain in midfield this week, the Dynamo Kyiv attacker is capable of scoring and setting up goals from the center of the park. Keep an eye on team news to make sure he isn't rotated, but if he starts he's a very solid option going forward.
Forwards
Cristiano Ronaldo - With a hat-trick on matchday 1 and lower-tier opposition this time around, the Real Madrid man is an absolute must-have, even with his steep price. Slap the captain's armband on him while you're at it.
Robert Lewandowski - There are some potential concerns over rotation at Bayern, but Lewandowski is the in-form striker in the Bundesliga (along with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang) right now, and should he get the nod from the start against Zagreb you have to like his chances of adding to his goal tally.
Artem Dzyuba - With injury concerns over Hulk, You should look to Dzyuba to lead the Zenit attack. The in-form striker is cheaper than his Brazilian teammate, which is a bonus as you try to find a way to squeeze in other top talent alongside Ronaldo.
Antoine Griezmann - A brace in matchday 1 showcased Griezmann's explosive potential, and the Atletico Madrid man should have plenty to offer this time around as his side face off against Benfica at home.
Luis Suarez - With Lionel Messi set to miss 6-8 weeks with a ligament tear sustained this past weekend, all eyes will be on Suarez to spark the Barcelona attack. The Uruguayan took up the mantle admirably in La Liga this weekend with a goalscoring performance, and is a solid option if you have the budget to fit him in.
League Codes
Goal.com: 4732
UEFA.com: 8021388
Who are you thinking of picking up for your team(s) this week? Be sure to join our leagues above, and sign up for an SBNation account if you haven't already so you can share your thoughts with us in the comments!