UCL Fantasy Matchday 5 Best Budget Gems

The fifth 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 5 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.

Celtic

Celtic are having a fantastic season domestically. The Scottish giants sit top of the league, after winning 11 of their first 12 matches, scoring a huge 35 goals, and conceding just four goals.

Form has been mixed for Celtic in the Champions League – winning two, drawing one and losing one of their first four matches. But, they have impressed overall, and go into their home match against a poor Club Brugge side, off the back of a 3-1 home win against Leipzig in Matchday 4.

Celtic have plenty of cheap options with potential going into the new round. Between the sticks, former Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel (€4.5m) could be a great defensive option. Centre-back Auston Trusty (€3.9m) is an even cheaper option. He managed 13 points in his last two Champions League matches. The standout defensive option is arguably full-back Alistair Johnston (€4.5m), he has produced a huge seven goal contributions in the Scottish Premiership already this season.

With an average of around three goals scored per game domestically, and matching that in Matchday 4, the Celtic attackers could be some of the best to invest in this week. Coming in at €5.7m, penalty taker and set piece man Arne Engels could be a great pick. Engles has managed a return in three of his four matches in the Champions League. A more explosive selection could be Nicolas-Gerrit Kühn (€4.5m). Guaranteed a price rise after his fantastic display against Leipzig, the German bagged two returns in three of his last four matches.

Atalanta

Another team sitting top of their domestic league, at the time of writing, is Atalanta. The Italian side have amassed 28 points due to their nine wins and one draw, in their first 13 games. They have also racked up more goals than any other side in the league with 34.

They have also impressed in the Champions League – winning two and drawing two of their first four games. What is significant though, is that they are one of two teams who have managed a clean sheet in every single one of their games so far.

Young Boys lay ahead, which could mean more success for the Atalanta defenders, especially considering they have scored just one goal in their current campaign. Taking advantage of their early defensive success is goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi (€4.5m). But, a more attacking option, and a player who has managed between 6-10 points in each of his Champions League matches is wing-back Davide Zappacosta (€4.7m). Zappacosta isn’t just one of their most reliable assets for gametime, but he has also produced two goals and two assists already this season.

Spearheading the dangerous Atalanta frontline is Mateo Retegui (€5.3m). The Italian may be short of goals in the Champions League thus far but that could be about to change. Domestically Retegui has been brilliant – bagging a huge 12 goals and creating three assists in 13 matches. Retegui is also highly likely on penalty duty too, which gives him even more appeal.

More Great Budget Picks

Barcelona have another great fixture, but at home this time around. The Catalans face Brest, which could be a great opportunity to add a second clean sheet for the campaign. For those looking to invest in the backline this week then goalkeeper Inaki Pena (€4.5m) and centre-back Pau Cubarsi (€4.5m) are great options.

Another defence with potential this week is that of PSV’s. The Dutch side kept a home clean sheet in Matchday 4 against Girona, which could provide the confidence to repeat that against a poor and blunt Shakhtar side. Goalkeeper Walter Benitez (€4.4m) plays between the sticks, but just ahead of him, and scoring in Matchday 4 is centre-back Ryan Flamingo (€4.5m).