Champions League Matchday 4: Draft Kings Picks

Last night we saw a thrilling match in Germany between Dortmund and Real Madrid finish in a 2-2 draw. Tonight, the big match is between Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid. It’s actually a solid night for Draft Kings though due to some big teams playing against lesser opponents. Let’s go over some player picks that can help your squad out.

Goalkeepers

Manuel Neur ($4,900)- Widely considered to be the best keeper in the world playing for arguably the best team in the world is relatively inexpensive in Draft Kings this week. Bayern Munich have come out to an unbelievable start in all competitions. They’ve scored 27 goals in 8 competitive fixtures thus far and have only allowed 1 goal. Carlo Ancelotti has Bayern playing unbelievable football and you have to expect that in tonight’s match against Atletico Madrid. This will be Bayern’s first real test of the season, though Atletico have gotten out to a mixed bag of results thus far in the season, though they’re none for their stingy defense. I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends in a 1-0 win for Bayern, in which case would be good for those who select Neur in goal.

Claudio Bravo ($5,700)- Bravo has had a shaky first couple of games for City, but the defense in front of him is playing well. This can give managers who select Bravo a bit of relief against Celtic. The way City have been playing, I would expect this to be a bit of a demolition, of Celtic’s 7-0 defeat last match week is any indication to go by. Though he’s a lot more expensive that Neur, he’s almost a sure bet for a shutout if City continue to play the football they have been under Guardiola.

Jeroen Zoet ($4,800)- If you want to go for another relatively inexpensive option in goal, Zoet may be a good pickup. PSV lost to Atletico only 1-0 on the first match day and they are playing much weaker competition this week when they face off against Rostov, who lost 5-0 to Bayern in the previous Champions League match. In Draft Kings, it’s all about who can keep clean sheets for your goalkeeper option, and I think Zoet might have just a good a chance as Bravo and Neur.

Defenders

Shkodran Mustafi ($3,400)- With this pick you have to understand you’re betting on an Arsenal clean sheet. After watching the destruction of Chelsea at the weekend, I have a feeling Arsenal may do the same to Basel. Wenger seems to have figured out some of the magic combinations for Arsenal this season and they will be buzzing after Saturday’s result against the Blues. Mustafi is a great center back who can pose a threat from headers on set pieces. At a very cheap price, you can make room for more expensive players in the forward or midfield positions.

Sergi Roberto ($5,400)- Sergi Roberto is a converted right back from his previous position in the center of midfield. With the loss of Dani Alves this season and the underperforming Aleix Vidal, Roberto seems to be coming up as the first choice right fullback at Barcelona. The fact that he likes to get forward down the wing should excite managers, especially given the fact that he has some wonderful players in front of him. Even though this match against Monchengladbach may be surprisingly tricky for Barca and they haven’t appeared 100% at the back so far this season, Roberto’s attacking mind will make him a good pick this week.

Juan Bernat ($4,700)- Bayern face a tough test this week against Atletico, but they’ve been great so far this season. Atletico have always struggled offensively against big teams, in reality it’s not really their focus. I’d expect Bayern to have the lion’s share of possession and chances in this match, with Atletico playing on the counter. That being said, Bernat can be a good option at the back and if you pair him up with Neur, it could give you a good chance to double up your points with two clean sheets.

Midfielders

Theo Walcott ($7,100)- For the way Walcott has been playing this season, I find this to be a good price for the quality. Arsenal are playing in a match at home that they should and with the attacking talent around him, Walcott can produce some serious numbers this week. Walcott has three goals and an assist in six matches and has been in prolific form so far, he’ll continue this against Basel.

Raheem Sterling ($8,200)- Manchester City fans must be foaming at the mouth in anticipation for the match against Celtic. The way their attacking force has been this year make them automatic favorites for the Premier League title and unbeaten in every competitive match under Pep Guardiola. A lot of that success is because of the revitalization of Raheem Sterling, who looks hungry to prove his previous critics wrong this season. With Aguero back in the side and De Bruyne out, I’d expect Sterling and Aguero to be the two main goal scoring outlets for City going forward.

Joshua Kimmich ($5,300)- Want a nice inexpensive option in midfield to save up for bigger players up front? This is your guy. He’s been a solid player for Bayern this year and can have a good match against Atletico this week. The only thing to pay attention to is the potential that he does not start. Make sure to check in an hour before gametime to make sure he’s in the lineup, this goes for all your players really.

Forwards-

Sergio Aguero ($10,400)- Come on, you didn’t expect me to go through this and not pick a Manchester City player for almost every position, they’re just impossible to ignore. Aguero is in unreal form this year and I’ve heard whispers around the internet of him being considered for the Ballon d’Or if he keeps his goal scoring run up. As stated before, City play Celtic this week and I’d look for them to run rampant in Scotland and come away with all three points easily. He costs a pretty penny though, so if you want to go with him make sure to pick him first so you can build the rest of your squad around him

Edinson Cavani ($8,800)- Cavani had a shaky start to the season but he’s scored in his last three games and has a hand in a lot of the set pieces, including penalty kicks, that come PSG’s way. A lot more inexpensive than the big names around him, he’ll be a good pick up as PSG travels to Ludogorets to try and seize their first win of their Champions League campaign.

Neymar ($10,000)- Another expensive choice but almost always worth the price of admission. Neymar scored a whopping 34.5 points the last match week against Celtic and with Messi injured, will be the main link up man with Luis Suarez (who also wouldn’t be a bad choice for striker this week). Barcelona have played great football after their loss to Alaves in the Spanish League and Monchengladbach (say that five times fast) can see them continue from a 5-0 destruction of Sporting Gijon at the weekend.

Something to keep in mind for managers in Draft Kings. Always Always Always check the line-ups before the matches, or pick your squad after they’re released. Sometimes the Champions League is a bit of a crap shoot for certain players in teams given managers rotate squads throughout the season to keep players fresh. It’s the worst when you pick a player or two and they don’t end up playing in the match. So what do you have on tap for your squad for today’s matches? Let us know in the comments below!