UEFA Champions League Matchday 5 Fantasy Player Picks

Match-day 4 of the UEFA Champions League saw 45 goals scored and 10 clean sheets kept. Most results were expected except Atalanta beating the English champions at Anfield.

Many clubs have already qualified for the round of 16, but there is still much to play for in terms of qualifications and finishing positions in each group as they can decide the difficulty of fixtures in the knockout stages.

As we inch closer to the conclusion of what has again been an exciting group stage, there is plenty to tinker ahead of match-day 5. Let’s dig deep to find out whom you should be picking for the fifth round of matches.

---

Goalkeepers

Photo by Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona, €6m) - vs Ferencvaros (A)

He missed the opening two games injured but has been performing to his usual levels in the following two. Having scored 11 points in two games, he faces Ferencvaros away from home in a fixture Barca are expected to dominate. I can see the Blaugranas getting past the club from Hungary with ease and keeping the back door shut. Ter Stegen is expensive, but he’s a reliable option as Barca have shown promising signs of improvement at the back under Ronald Koeman.

Peter Gulacsi (RB Leipzig, €5.5m) - vs Istanbul Basaksehir (A)

RB Leipzig have been performing really well despite being a part of arguably the toughest group in the competition. They are still in with a chance to qualify for the round of 16, so expect them to be highly determined. Their Hungarian shot-stopper has scored 17 points in four fixtures, and let’s not forget that three of those four matches were against Manchester United and PSG. They will face Istanbul Basaksehir in Turkey on match-day 5 in a fixture they are heavily favored to win. Gulacsi is a great pick for this week given the defensive rigidity the German side has shown this season.

---

Defenders

Photo by Peter Powell - Pool/Getty Images

Hans Hateboer (Atlanta, €4.9m) - vs Midtjylland (H)

Atalanta has looked amazing this season in the Champions League, very much in the mix to qualify for the round of 16 after defeating Liverpool at Anfield. Visitors from Midtjylland are yet to score a point in the group, so this fixture is expected to go only one way. The flying right-back who has already scored 18 points in four matches is a great option at his price and ownership.

Angelino (RB Leipzig, €5.4m) - vs Istanbul Basaksehir (A)

The Argentine has been in great form this season for Nagelsmann’s side. He has scored a whooping 28 points in four fixtures, and I fully expect him to build on that against the side from Turkey. He has played every minute so far in UCL, has recovered 13 balls, and his attacking threat is equally good with two goals and an assist to his name. Leipzig will be highly motivated to qualify, so I am backing him to deliver in this fixture.

Thomas Meunier (Dortmund, €5.1m) - vs Lazio (H)

Now, this isn’t the easiest of fixtures on paper, but Meunier has been pretty consistent with his returns so far regardless of fixture difficulty. He has scored 29 points so far and is surprisingly owned by just 12% of the managers out there. Dortmund did defeat Lazio in the reverse fixture 2-0 away from home, so now playing at Signal Iduna Park, a home win seems likely. He is a great option for the remaining two fixtures of the group stage and is very reasonably priced in my opinion.

---

Midfielders

Photo by Sportinfoto/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Juan Cuadrado (Juventus, €6.5m) - vs Dynamo Kyiv (H)

He’s a cheeky differential in my opinion. The Colombian has been quietly racking up points with 25 in four matches. He faces Dynamo Kyiv at home on match-day 5, and I can’t see anything but a comfortable victory for the Italian champions in this match. Cuadrado is a reliable starter, and the group positions are not done yet, so I am not expecting any rotation from Pirlo. He’s nicely priced at €6.5m, which makes him a decent shout for this match-day .

Diogo Jota (Liverpool, €7.7m) - vs Ajax (H)

He has been on fire since arriving at Anfield! He has already scored four goals in the Champions League and stands at 28 points in four matches. Having scored at the weekend against Brighton, he certainly has momentum as he faces Ajax at home on match-day 5. Jota is the best option from Liverpool attack at the moment in my opinion given his price and points per match.

Jadon Sancho (Dortmund, €10m) - vs Lazio (H)

He’s a hidden gem of UCL Fantasy. He’s ridiculously under-owned (just 3%) for scoring 22 points in just three fixtures. Sancho has two good fixtures left in the group stage, so if you’ve got someone underperforming in that price range, he’s a great pick. Dortmund scores a lot of goals, and the English talisman is usually involved, plus he’s a great differential.

---

Forwards

Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images

Alvaro Morata (Juventus, €9m) - Dynamo Kyiv (H)

If anyone remembers, I backed him at the beginning of the season due to the fact that Ronaldo was missing, and he has done well, scoring five goals in four fixtures. Now facing a Dynamo Kyiv side at home on match-day 5, there is high points potential for the Spaniard in this particular fixture. Morata sits at 27 points from four fixtures, and I expect that tally to rise in the upcoming matches.

Papu Gomez (Atalanta, €8.5m) - vs Midtjylland (H)

Although he has been outscored by his strike partner Duvan Zapata so far, it’s Gomez who’s been more consistent with the points among the two. He has averaged nearly five points per match and has a great fixture against a side that is yet to register a single point this season. This is Atalanta’s game to lose, so it’s a great opportunity for Papu Gomez to deliver when his team and fantasy managers need him to. He has slightly under-performed our huge expectations, but you can’t ignore his ability in front of goal against a side with a goal difference of -9.

Yussuf Poulsen (RB Leipzig, €8m) - vs Istanbul Basaksehir (A)

He’s my maverick pick for this match-day. With no goals scored, Poulsen hasn’t performed well this season, so he is largely a one week punt. He’s 1% owned and faces a comfortable match against Istanbul Basaksehir on match-day 5, which makes him a great differential given how the Germans have been performing as a whole this season. I am backing him to break his duck and reward some thrill seekers with good points.

---

Captaincy Picks

I will be listing the best captaincy options for each game-day in decreasing order of their reliability and expected points. It will be a mix of strong picks expected to be backed by a lot of fantasy managers as well as some cheeky differentials if you’re a risk taker. Here’s my picks for match-day 5:

~

Tuesday

• Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
• Diogo Jota (Liverpool)
• Papu Gomez (Atlanta)
• Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

~

Wednesday

• Alvaro Morata (Juventus)
• Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
• Jadon Sancho (Dortmund)
• Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona)

~

Good luck everyone and may your arrows be green!

Cheers,

Prakhar

---

Have you made your transfers yet? Whom above are you watching? Is there anyone who was left out of this article whom you would recommend? Which match do you most want to watch as a fan? Are you hearing any late news? Please let us know in the comments!

~