UCL Fantasy Matchday 12 Best Budget Gems

The new round of the 2024/25 Champions League season is edging closer. With this in mind we continue our coverage by picking out the UCL Fantasy Matchday 12 best budget gems. To do this we consider several factors including fixture difficulty and form.

Budget players can be vital for UCL Fantasy managers. Cheap assets allow more budget for premium picks who can be some of the most consistent in the game. Finding cheap assets is essential but finding cheap assets who do well can contribute to both rank and mini-league position.

Morgan Rogers – €5m

UCL Fantasy Matchday 12 Best Budget Gems

Club Brugge haven’t just conceded in each of their previous five matches in all competitions, the Belgian side have also shipped at least two in three during that same period. This highlights them as a team to target.

Aston Villa took a surprise 3-1 victory in the first leg, and things could get worse for Club Brugge this week as the Premier League side play at home this time around. Among their attacking options is Morgan Rogers. Arguably one of their best performers this season, Rogers has not only hit double-digits in the Premier League for returns, but also bagged a hattrick in one of his most recent Champions League matches.

Ethan Nwaneri – €4.7m

Arsenal look certain to advance into the quarter-finals after dismantling PSV in a 7-1 beating during Matchday 11. This week, whilst unlikely to repeat that, they play as hosts, which significantly boosts their chances of scoring goals.

There aren’t many defences left as leaky as PSV left in the competition so targeting them before they get dumped out could be hugely rewarding. Impressing with his goal in the previous round and becoming a staple in the Arsenal front three due to injuries is Ethan Nwaneri. There is no reason why the youngster can’t have another excellent game.

Jurriën Timber – €4.4m

Arsenal have plenty of potential this week, including in defence. The Gooners, as well as having conceded less goals than any other side in the Premier League this campaign, they also rank the best for metrics like big chances conceded, and shots on target conceded.

PSV have shown they are capable of scoring, but a 7-1 deficit could remove any previous desire they had going into the game. Taking all of that into account, Jurrien Timber could have success. The Dutchman has also scored and assisted in his current Champions League campaign, so evidently has attacking potential.

More Great Budget Picks

There are plenty of other great budget picks to choose from this week, especially in the Aston Villa v Club Brugge game. For those that think Aston Villa will keep a clean sheet, then attacking left-back Lucas Digne (€4.6m) stands out.

Club Brugge could be worth backing this week. From a defensive perspective, goalkeeper Simon Mignolet (€4.5m) and centre-back Brandon Mechele (€4.6m) could both be great picks. In attack, Maxim De Cuyper (€4.5m) bagged a goal in the previous game, whilst fellow midfielder Christos Tzolis (€5.7m) has returned in each of his previous matches.

For those looking for a cheap goalkeeper then look no further than Wojciech Szczesny (€4m). The Barcelona back-up continues to play whilst Marc Ter Stegen recovers from his long-term injury. He also picked up a clean sheet in his previous game.

Lille have proven they can perform at home in the Champions League, their 6-1 win against Feyenoord is reflective of that. The French side face Dortmund again, who have been extremely inconsistent defensively this season. This could be a good opportunity for young star and midfielder Hakon Haraldsson (€4.9m), who bagged a 12-point haul in the first leg.