Fantasy UCL MD-3 Player Picks

After a boring few weeks of international football, Europe’s elite club competition is just a couple days away. Resuming Champions League play also means UCL fantasy decisions. With the MD-3 deadline fast approaching, here are some player picks!

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Goalkeepers

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Ederson (€6m, Manchester City vs FC Copenhagen)

Man City — arguably the best defense in the UCL, plays FC Copenhagen, a club that has yet to score a goal in the competition. All factors point toward a clean sheet for Ederson.

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Antonio Adán (€4.5m, Marseille vs Sporting CP)

Adan is the best goalkeeper to own in the €4.5m price bracket. The Spaniard has kept two clean sheets in his first 2 games, including a clean sheet against Tottenham. Adán offers great value at his price.

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Defenders

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João Cancelo (€6.6m, Man City vs FC Copenhagen)

Cancelo is nearly essential for MD-3. He is a level above other defenders in UCL Fantasy, the Portuguese fullback having a high ceiling in all avenues of points, be it goals, assists, clean sheets, or ball recoveries. Leave him out at your peril!

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Trent Alexander-Arnold (€6.5m, Liverpool vs Rangers)

Liverpool’s (and TAA’s) recent form hasn’t been great. But, Rangers aren’t in great nick themselves. They’ve conceded seven goals in two UCL games and are yet to score a goal. TAA’s attacking threat and clean sheet potential make the right-back a good pick for the week.

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Nuno Mendes (€5m, Benfica vs Paris SG)

Mendes is one of the best left-backs in the world at the moment. He is integral to PSG’s attacks down the left flank, the Portuguese’s combination with the front three regularly enabling PSG to unlock defenses. Adding to his good attacking threat, PSG also has high clean-sheet odds against Benfica.

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Dayot Upamecano (€5.0m, Bayern Munich vs Viktoria Plzen)

Upamecano is the cheapest route into the strong Bayern defense that faces Viktoria Plzen. Upamecano also offers a good aerial threat from set pieces and has great ball recovery potential.

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Calvin Bassey (€4.1m, Ajax vs SSC Napoli)

Bassey is a UCL fantasy gem. Playing consistently for a solid Ajax defense, the ex-Rangers defender is the best enabler available in the game. Bassey offers good ball recovery and clean sheet potential against a Napoli side expected to sit back and counter-attack.

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Midfielders

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Leroy Sané (€9.1m, Bayern Munich vs Viktoria Plzen)

Sané is the linchpin of Bayern’s attack at the moment. Although Mané has the higher goal-scoring potential, the German winger makes up for this with his higher assist threat and lower price. In UCL Fantasy, Sané is #1 among midfielders and #2 overall for points. Facing Viktoria Plzen, Sané should have a field day in front of goal.

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Mo Salah (€11m, Liverpool vs Rangers)

Despite Liverpool’s poor recent form, Salah continues to post healthy underlying attacking numbers (0.53 xG per 90 in six league games). Thiago’s creativity and a leaky Rangers defense could see the Egyptian get back to his goal-scoring best.

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Jamal Musiala (€7m, Bayern Munich vs Viktoria Plzen)

Playing for arguably the best attack in the competition, Musiala’s €7m price tag could be a bargain if the German star starts consistently for Bayern. Fresh off a brace in Bundesliga against Bayer Leverkusen, Musiala has found his goal-scoring touch entering MD-3.

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Mohammed Kudus (€5.2m, Ajax vs SSC Napoli)

Listed as a €5.2m midfielder, Kudus plays as the striker for Ajax — one of the best attacks in this season’s UCL. Kudus has already scored six goals in nine appearances, including two goals in two Champions League games — a bargain at €5.2m.

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Pedro Gonçalves (€7.5m, Marseille vs Sporting CP)

Sporting star-man Pedro Gonçalves, fresh off a goal in Portugal’s Premier Liga, has started impressively this season, scoring five goals and providing three assists in ten appearances. Although Sporting’s MD-3 opponent Marseille is at the top of Ligue 1, the French side has failed to keep a clean sheet in the opening two UCL games. Sporting has started with impressive wins over Frankfurt and Spurs, scoring five goals in the process. Pedro Gonçalves is likely to be involved in any goals scored by Sporting.

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Forwards

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Erling Haaland (€11.1m, Man City vs FC Copenhagen)

Erling Haaland is in red hot form coming into MD-3, having scored 13 goals in nine games this season. With Man City facing a struggling Copenhagen side that has conceded 17 goals in ten games in the Danish Superliga, Haaland should get lots of chances this week.

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Kylian Mbappé (€11.1m, Benfica vs Paris SG)

Mbappe’s recent form is ridiculously good. The Frenchman has scored seven in seven domestically this season with a per 90 xG of 1.0! With Messi back to his creative best, don’t be surprised to see Mbappe net a goal or two in MD-3.

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Karim Benzema (€11m, Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk)

As I write, Real Madrid is yet to play today’s League game against Osasuna. Reports suggest Benzema is likely to return from injury and get a few minutes under his belt before the Champions League game against Shakhtar in MD-3. He’ll be eager to get back to goal-scoring ways, so he will elevate Real Madrid’s attacking threat against a strong but not impenetrable Shakhtar defense.

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Was this article useful? Did we overlook anyone? What is your strategy for MD-3? Are you using any chips this week? If yes, which chip are you planning to use? If not, which week have you penciled it for? Have questions of your own? Please login and share your thoughts in the comments section!

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