UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2
We pick out all of the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2. In this mega article we use stats, form and other factors to pick out the players with the most potential. Our in depth article will list all of the best goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and forwards for the new round ahead.
The UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2 can be massively beneficial for fantasy managers. Knowing the best picks in every position is absolutely crucial for gaining rank and an edge over your mini-league rivals but can also help managers with the use of their chips.
Goalkeepers – Sven Ulreich
Bayern play on the first day of Matchday 2. This means if their players fail to return we can substitute them out to the bench on the second day. We should all also know by now that we need a Tuesday goalkeeper and a Wednesday goalkeeper in our squads.
The German giants will always be considered as one of the best teams to invest in in UCL Fantasy due to their consistency when it comes to tournament progression. Because of this we start with them but focus on their backline.
The Bayern backline has been hit and miss this season – keeping just two clean sheets. However, it is worth noting that last season in the UCL they kept a huge seven clean sheets from their 10 matches. What is even more impressive is that they kept clean sheets against the likes of Barcelona and Inter during the same matches.
Bayern face Copenhagen up next. Although free-scoring in their domestic league Copenhagen tend to struggle in the Europe. In fact, in their 22/23 campaign the Danish side managed to muster up just one goal in six matches.
With Manuel Neuer out of action due to injury Sven Ulreich takes his place. The 35-year-old German provided to be a solid back up last season – keeping two clean sheets in the three matches he played. He also comes in at the budget price of €4.5m which is fantastic considering the fixture ahead. Ulreich has great potential for the clean sheet this week and for that reason is a great addition to the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
Yann Sommer
Inter also have a game on the first day of Matchday 2. The Italian side proved extremely impressive defensively last season. Domestically they managed to keep 13 clean sheets in 38 matches but it was in the Champions League where they really kicked on.
Making it all of the way to the UCL 22/23 final Inter became one of the toughest teams in the competition to break down. We could see exactly that in the fact they racked up a huge eight clean sheets in 13 matches. This is a clear sign that investing in their defence is a good move.
If the above wasn’t enough the Italian side have also had a very impressive start to their season overall. In the six matches they have played in all competitions they have won five whilst also keeping four clean sheets.
Many within the community will be slightly nervy about the Inter’ fixture ahead. They face Benfica which historically would have been huge challenge. However, Benfica lost several key players during the summer and also their first UCL match against Salzburg where they lost 2-0 is reflective of that.
Losing the relentless Goncalo Ramos has been a massive blow for Benfica and it ultimately bodes well for the Inter backline. One player who could take advantage of this is Yann Sommer (€4.5m). Sommer has been key to helping Inter keep their clean sheets this season and although he has had to fill a Andre Onana shaped void since he left for Manchester United Sommer has done a very good job so far.
Taking into account Inter’ current defensive form, the fact Benfica could struggle without a focal point and his cheap price-tag, Yann Sommer could be a great option on the Tuesday and so makes the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
Ivan Provedel
This is another reminder to make sure you have a goalkeeper playing on the Wednesday. This almost guarantees you a substitute in if your Tuesday goalkeeper fails to return. This time we head to Lazio.
It feels like a breath of fresh air recommending a Lazio player this week as its been such a long time since I last did. Lets take a look back at how Lazio progressed to the Champions League this time around. Last season domestically Lazio were brilliant – finishing second in the league ahead of the likes of Inter, Milan and Juventus.
During their excellent 22/23 Serie A campaign Lazio racked up a monstrous 21 clean sheets in 38 matches. This is even more impressive when considering the league they play in. It also confirms that they maintained one of the best defensive lines in Europe.
This season Lazio have struggled to maintain that same defensive form. However, their opponent ahead is a huge contributing factor towards their appeal this week. Celtic have struggled to regain European form for some years now. In two of their last three UCL campaigns the Scottish side have finished rock bottom of the their groups.
Celtic were extremely poor against Feyenoord in Matchday 1 and their lack of goals makes Lazio’ Ivan Provedel (€5m) a very good pick on the Wednesday. Provedel was absolutely key to his sides fantastic defence last season. The Italian also scored in his latest Champions League match so his confidence will be sky high.
Dmytro Riznyk
The most experienced managers would even struggle to pick out a safe clean sheet on day two of Matchday 2. This could indicate that investing in as little as possible on a Wednesday goalkeeper a wise move.
With the above in mind we head to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk. They have become regulars over the years in the Champions League but more importantly absolutely dominant domestically. We can see this from the fact that they have claimed the title in the last two seasons.
Investing in Shakhtar Donetsk feels odd but when you take into account their upcoming opponent then it may feel more appealing. They come up against Antwerp in Matchday 2. The Belgian side were completely dismantled by Barcelona in the first round but what’s even more significant is that they didn’t even look close to scoring.
The clean sheet could well be there for Shakhtar Donetsk and with the fixture, their goalkeeper could well outscore many of the other options with higher price-tags. With that in mind we could look to Dmytro Riznyk. The Ukrainian international comes in at just €4m in the game and is one of the cheapest playing players in the entire game.
Riznyk impressed in his last match against Porto. Although he conceded against a tough Portuguese side he still managed to rack up six saves. With a great fixture ahead and very limited options on the second day, Riznyk squeezes into the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
Defenders – Robin Gosens
It is really nice to see an array of different teams in the Champions League this season and Union Berlin are one of them. The German side were fantastic in their 22/23 Bundesliga season – they claimed fourth place ahead of the likes of Leverkusen and Freiburg.
During their impressive 22/23 Bundesliga season they racked up a solid 13 clean sheets. This suggests that they have good defensive capabilities. With that in mind investing in their backline could be a wise move but they have other contributing factors backing them.
Union Berlin face Braga up next. The Portuguese side are struggling to regain their 22/23 form domestically – they sit sixth and six points off the likes Porto and Sporting. Braga also failed to convince against an out of sorts Napoli side in Matchday 1 which increases the appeal of Union Berlin going into the new round.
Another massive appeal in terms of the Union Berlin defence is that they play with a back-three system. This gives their wing-backs the freedom to advance forward into some of the most attacking positions on the pitch. Because of that it would be wise to consider Robin Gosens (€5m).
Gosens has been a fantasy favourite in the years gone by and that’s no big surprise. A good example of how effective the German is could be his 20/21 season for Inter where he notched up a huge 11 goals and six assists from 32 matches. To back his attacking output up, this season for Union Berlin Gosens has already managed to score three goals in five Bundesliga matches from wing-back.
As we can see from his heatmap above from this season Gosens loves to advance forward. In fact he spends more time attacking the opponents half than his own. He also has plenty of positioning in the opponents box.
With a great fixture, in scoring form and the bonus of a clean sheet, Gosens could have explosive potential in the round ahead and taking that into account he eases his way into the the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
Alphonso Davies
Bayern have started their season really well. In their eight matches in all competitions they have won six, lost one and drawn one. During that same period they also managed to keep three clean sheets which is a good early sign for investment.
The German giants have also showed major defensive strength in the Champions League. In their 22/23 campaign Bayern played six group matches and bagged five clean sheets. They kept some of those clean sheets against the likes of Barcelona and Inter.
Bayern face Copenhagen next up, a team that scored just one goal in their last Champions League campaign and finished rock bottom of their group. The clean sheets looks on for Bayern but one asset offers much more than that.
Alphonso Davies (€6m) has shown great attack over the years for club and country. For country he plays a more advance position which reflects his offensive capabilities. The 22-year-old led his country in the most recent World Cup and even scored.
Davies looks set for a big season terms of attacking output. In the five Bundesliga matches he has played the left-back has already bagged three assists along with two clean sheets. With five returns in five games Davies is returning at a premium rate which is exactly what we want as UCL Fantasy managers.
Above we can see his Bundesliga heatmap so far. More of his positioning is in the opposition half which bodes well for his attacking potential. We can also see dark patches of positioning in the oppositions box which is very uncommon amongst defenders.
Alphonso Davies has a very good chance at picking up a clean sheet this week but his attacking potential adds to his haul potential. Taking that and the above into consideration Davies could have a fantastic Matchday 2.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo
Napoli have been one of the most exciting teams to watch over the last year. One of the reasons for this was their storming Serie A Fantasy campaign last season. The Italian side won their domestic title by some distance and they also managed to keep a whopping 18 clean sheets.
They were defensively fantastic last season in Serie A but they also advanced into the latter stages of the UCL facing and beating some stiff opposition along the way. The Italian side could have a challenge on their hands this week.
Real Madrid lay ahead for Napoli and although the Spanish giants were in great form in their build up to the start of the UCL, things have not been convincing since. They struggled to breakdown a Union Berlin side who have lost their last four matches in all competitions but also lost their most recent match 3-1 against Atletico Madrid. It also doesn’t bode well that they have been heavily reliant on youngster Jude Bellingham for goals.
Napoli are at home in the round ahead which boosts their chances of both the win and a clean sheet. Their standout defensive asset is Giovanni Di Lorenzo (€5.5m). The Italian international has the potential to return big when it comes to attacking returns.
To back the above up, last season Di Lorenzo hit three goals and four assists domestically. He also managed to score two goals and register two assists in 10 Champions League matches last season. This season could be a big one for the full-back. In fact, in the six matches in all competitions he has played so far he has already picked up two goals and two assists and thatS without the clean sheets.
We can see from his heatmap from Serie A this season that Giovanni also loves to get forward and that most of his play is in the opponents half. We can also see a lot of positioning in the oppositions box which is what we want as a UCL Fantasy manager.
Playing at home, against a team whom have not looked offensively convincing so far and in top attacking form, Giovanni Di Lorenzo joins the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
Federico Dimarco
Inter have made the world take note of them again over the last season. Their surprising 22/23 Champions League campaign saw them progress all of the way to the final. The world also saw them keep Manchester City at bay for the majority of that final until they were undone by a goal.
The Italian side have started their Serie A campaign in top form. In the five matches they played they won all of them. In the same matches Inter also managed to keep four clean sheets. To highlight their defence even more, last season they racked up eight clean sheets in their UCL campaign.
The Inter defence looks strong and they will be hoping to put their bizarre Matchday 1 performance behind them. This week they play at home which gives them even more appeal from a defensive point of view. They face Benfica, a side who lost their best attacker in the summer and fell short with their defeat against Salzburg in the first round.
One player who offers more than clean sheets is Federico Dimarco (€5.5m). His side play with wing-back system which allows him into some of the most advanced positions on the pitch and we will see that shortly with his heatmap.
Dimarco proved his attacking threat in Serie A last season where he banked four goals and three assists in 33 matches. His attacking output continued into his last UCL campaign too – picking up an impressive five assists on his way to the final.
We can see several things from Dimarco’ heatmap. Firstly we can see that he takes his sides corners from the left hand side which gives him another route to points. We can also notice he takes up a lot of his positioning in the opponents half and in the oppositions box.
Dimrarco plays at home, is in top attacking form and faces a team who have departed with a lot of key players since their last UCL campaign. With that in mind and his sides motivation to correct their Matchday 1 result, Federico Dimarco eases his way into the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
Joao Cancelo
Barcelona are strong favourites to win their group. That was reinforced after their convincing win against Antwerp in the first round. The Spanish giants are progressing as a team and have been since their most recent UCL campaign where they departed after the Group Stage.
It is also worth noting that Barcelona also managed to win La Liga last season which is a huge achievement considering they edged their rivals Real Madrid. During that season they also collected a whopping 26 clean sheets.
Barcelona maintained one of the best defensive records in Europe last season. This alone is enough to invest in their backline even against Porto. They have also started their 23/24 campaign in good form. In the eight matches they have played in all competitions Barcelona won six, drew twice and remained unbeaten.
Porto could be a great test for this Barcelona side defensively but they also have a player who offers plenty of attacking threat. Former Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo (€6m) has shown plenty of output over the last several years.
In his 21/22 Premier League season Cancelo managed one goal and seven assists for Manchester City. He then joined German side Bayern where he played 15 matches, scored one goal and created four assists. Many were unsure what to expect from Cancelo when he joined Barcelona but already he has scored two goals and produced one assist in five matches in all competitions.
Joao Cancelo’ heatmap is an interesting one. The right-back seems to wander into the midfield a lot of the time. This means he has a better chance of creating chances. He also has enough positioning in the opponents box.
Cancelo seems to be settling in at Barcelona which in turn has had a positive affect on his output. In great attacking form and playing for one of last seasons best defences in Europe, Cancelo has bags of potential, even against Porto.
Midfielders – Leroy Sane
Bayern are the favourites to win their Group Stage. The Germans regularly challenge some of the best teams in Europe and a lot of the time beat them. Bayern also score a lot of goals and in fact maintained one of the highest scoring averages in Europe last season.
In terms of form, things look good for Bayern. In their first eight matches in all competitions they have won six. During those same matches they also notched up a huge 26 goals – this averages out at 3.25 goals per match.
Investing in the Bayern attack is absolutely crucial this week. They come up against Copenhagen in Matchday 2. Copenhagen may be dominant in their domestic league but they have consistently shown to be a weak side in the Champions League. What is interesting is that even domestically they have conceded two goals in both of their last two matches.
Bayern are big scorers and Copenhagen leak goals so it makes sense to pile in on the Bayern attack. One of the best ways to do this is with Leroy Sane (€9m). The German international has been a work in progress for the German giants since departing from Manchester City.
Sane’ domestic numbers are not convincing as we look back but the Champions League is his domain and where he tends to shine. In his 21/22 UCL campaign Sane bagged six goals and six assists in just 10 matches. He then followed that up in his 22/23 season with four goals and one assist in eight matches.
Sane is in form and his start to the current season has been explosive. In his last 10 matches for club and country he banked seven goals. Taking into account that he flourishes in the Champions League, he is in great form and he faces a poor defensive unit next up Sane is an essential in the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
Bukayo Saka
Arsenal have been an exciting watch over the last season. Not only did they finish second in the Premier League last time out but they challenged Champions Manchester City for the title. They are fully deserving of Champions League qualification and they have already proved that.
They have also started the new season very well too. In the eight matches they have played in all competitions Arsenal have won six, drawn twice and remain unbeaten. You can also count on them for goals as well. Last season domestically they ranked second for goals and goals inside the box.
Arsenal have continued their free-scoring ways this season – netting two or more goals in five of their first matches. What was even more convincing was their 4-0 win against PSV in Matchday 1. They face Lens next, a side who lost four of their first five league matches and who conceded three goals in three of the same games.
Lens are a team for Arsenal to target, even away from home. Their standout attacker is 22-year-old Bukayo Saka (€9.5m). The English international has quickly become one of the most potent wingers in world football over the last several years.
In his 21/22 season Saka bagged a huge 14 goals and 11 assists in 38 matches. This shows that he has multiple routes to points. This season he has started in the same form. In the eight matches Saka has been involved in in all competitions he has picked up four goals and four assists. On average he has returned in every single match played.
Saka is returning at a premium rate which is exactly what we need as UCL Fantasy managers. Many questioned if the youngster could perform at Champions League level. However, Saka answered those questions with a goal and an assist in his Champions League debut. With that in mind, Saka breezes into the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United come into the new round needing a win after their 4-3 loss to Bayern in Matchday 1. They may have lost the game but they can still take away the fact they netted three times against the German giants.
The Reds have not started their 23/24 campaign in a way they would have liked to. However, although the results have been inconsistent they are still scoring goals. In the eight matches they have played in all competitions they have found the net 13 times.
At the time of writing Manchester United come into the new round with two back-to-back wins and four goals scored. They face Galatasaray next up. Although the Turkish side have made some impressive signings their 2-2 draw to Copenhagen in the first Matchday was very concerning.
Manchester United are at home this week and face a defensively ropey side. One player who can take advantage of that is Bruno Fernandes (€9.5m). The Portuguese midfielder has become absolutely instrumental for the Reds over the years.
In terms of output, Fernandes is capable of big things. In his 20/21 domestic campaign he racked up a massive 18 goals and 12 assists – totalling to 30 goal contributions in 37 matches. He then followed that up in his 21/22 season with 10 goals and six assists. Last season he managed to hit 16 goal contributions in the Premier League (eight goals and eight assists).
Bruno shows clear signs of both creativity and goal threat which is huge from an investment point of view. If that wasn’t enough he also takes his sides set pieces including penalties which, again, adds to his potential routes to points.
In his last 10 matches for club and country Fernandes has notched up four goals and four assists, reflecting his good potential. Taking everything into account Fernandes could be a great pick for the round ahead and so gets his inclusion into the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
Felipe Anderson
Lazio were one of the teams to impress in Italy last season. In fact, in Serie A last campaign they finished second place ahead of the likes of Inter, Milan, Atalanta, Roma and Juventus which is no easy feat. That alone shows how much they have progressed over the last year.
During their fantastic 22/23 campaign Lazio kept a huge 21 clean sheets but scored 60 goals – averaging 1.6 goals scored per game. This season hasn’t started as they would have wanted but Lazio are improving. The Italian side have gone from losing three of their first four matches to being unbeaten in the last three. They also held their own very well against Atletico Madrid in the first Matchday.
One of the biggest factors supporting a Lazio attacker this week is the fact they face Celtic ahead. Historically the Scottish side have had success in the UCL but those days are long gone. In their last Champions League campaign Celtic finished rock bottom of their group and also conceded a huge 15 goals.
Celtic also lost against Feyenoord in the first round 2-0 – picking up two red cards in the process. Either way, Celtic are a team to target and with Lazio’ increasing form, it could be wise to pick out one of their attacking assets.
One player we could consider is Felipe Anderson (€6.5m). Since returning to Serie A after his departure from West Ham Anderson looks like a different player. In his 21/22 domestic season he bagged six goals and eight assists. He then followed that up in the next season with nine goals and two assists.
We can see from his heatmap above that Anderson predominantly plays in a right-wing position. We can also see that he utilizes a lot of positioning in the oppositions box. This is very promising especially when he is categorized as a midfielder.
At a lovely price, playing a poor European team and in a side with increasing confidence, Felipe Anderson could be a fantastic option this week.
Phil Foden
Manchester City are a team to fear and a team who can punish any opponent at any level. They proved exactly that last season when they won both the Premier League and the Champions League. Buying into their assets can be seen as an absolute must every single round.
The Champions were one of the highest scoring teams in Europe last season – regularly scoring three or more goals per match. They have also started their new campaign exceptionally. In the seven Premier League and UCL matches they have played so far they have won them all. During the same matches they also racked up 19 goals.
Leipzig lay ahead for Manchester City. The German side are also in very good form coming into the game. However, the last time these two teams faced each other Manchester City put eight goals past them and although its questionable whether the English side can repeat that, there is little doubt that they won’t fail in scoring.
Rotation has been the biggest issue with the Manchester City attacking assets over the years. However, that looks to be changing for one man in particular. Phil Foden (€8m) looks to have cemented a first team place for his side.
Not only did Foden start in Matchday 1 of the Champions League but he also started five of his sides six Premier League matches. In terms of actual output Foden does seem to be improving over time. Last season in the PL Foden picked up 11 goals and five assists in 32 matches.
This season Foden has started well – in his last seven matches in all competitions Foden collected four assists and one goal. That is a return in nearly all of his matches on average.
Foden plays predominantly in a right midfield position but that hasn’t hindered his output. We can also see that Foden takes his sides corners from the left. This gives him an additional route to points.
Forwards – Harry Kane
Bayern are essential in terms of investment this week. The German side regularly maintain one of the best scoring averages in Europe. This was seen last season as they were netting three of more goals per game on average.
In terms of form Bayern have started their 23/24 campaign very well. In the eight matches played in all competitions they have won six of them. During the same games they also netted a huge 26 goals. This is another reminder of how good they really are.
Bayern were hugely impressive in Matchday 1 with their 4-3 win against Manchester United. They again come up against a poor defensive unit in Copenhagen. The Danish side finished rock bottom in two of their three last UCL campaigns.
Copenhagen are a team to target and Harry Kane (€10m) could have a field day. The English international is one of the deadliest finishers in world football. Last season for Tottenham he bagged a whopping 30 goals in just 38 matches.
Kane has started life in Germany with a bang. In fact, not only has he already taken up penalty duty but he has also scored eight goals and produced four assists in just seven games. Kane has the fixture to go big and with that breezes into the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
Gabriel Jesus
Arsenal have been one of the best sides in England over the last season and there can be no doubt about that. They came head-to-head with Manchester City for most of last season but fell short of the Premier League title.
During their impressive 22/23 season Arsenal also scored plenty of goals – ranking second for goals and goals scored in the box. The ‘Gooners’ have also started this season very well. In the nine matches they have played they have won a huge eight and remain unbeaten.
Many didn’t know what to expect from Arsenal in their return to Champions League football. The fans that questioned Arsenal were quickly put in their place. They won their first match against PSV 4-0 but it they could have scored more.
Arsenal face Lens this week and the French side have struggled this season so far. In the seven matches the have played they lost four, drew twice and won once. This highlights them as a team to target this week, even at home.
Another player who could have big potential this week is Gabriel Jesus (€8.5m). In his 21/22 campaign when playing for Manchester City he managed eight goals and eight assists in 21 matches. He then signed for Arsenal in the season after to then score 11 goals and register six assists.
Gabriel Jesus scored in Matchday 1 emphasising his fitness and return from injury. With a great fixture up next, good fitness levels and leading the in-form frontline Gabriel Jesus walks into the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
Ciro Immobile
We have already seen how good Lazio were in their 22/23 domestic campaign. The fact they finished second in Serie A last season is nothing to just brush off. The Italian side are also visibly and evidently improving as some knew they would.
The match against Celtic in Matchday 2 is something UCL Fantasy managers should not ignore. The Scottish side have proved time and time again incapable at this level. However, the fact that they maintain a very poor defence in Europe is one of the biggest appeals here.
The standout pick from Lazio in Matchday 2 is Ciro Immobile (€7.5m). The 33-year-old is still impressing even at his age. Lets take a look back at his numbers to get a better idea of how his output has been over the years.
In his 20/21 domestic league campaign he racked up a huge 20 goals and six assists in just 35 matches. He then followed that up with a bigger season in 21/22 scoring a massive 27 goals and creating two assists.
Last season Immobile started just 27 matches for Lazio but still scored 12 goals and created five assists. This campaign the striker has scored two goals. Another big appeal is that Immobile also takes his sides penalties, giving him another potential route to points.
Against a side with a poor defensive record in the Champions League, playing for an improving team and on penalties is easily enough to give Immobile his inclusion into the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
Erling Haaland
Manchester City have started their new season as well as they finished the last. Winning all of their matches in the Premier and Champions League so far reinforces how good they actually are and everyone needs to remember that before they take any risks with their assets.
Not only have they managed close to 20 goals scored already but they also regularly sustain one of the highest scoring averages in Europe along with Bayern. The Manchester City attack is absolutely relentless and they proved that against their upcoming opponents last season.
The last time Manchester City played Leipzig they put away eight goals between their two head-to-heads. Leipzig are in form but defensively they still have big question marks hanging over them, especially after their display in the first round.
The standout option going into any given week is Erling Haaland (€11.5m). In the Norwegian’ first season for the holders he produced a monstrous 36 goals and eight assists. This totalled 44 goal contributions in 35 games.
This season Haaland has already notched up eight goals and two assists. What is interesting though is that he hasn’t produced more than one attacking return in three games leaving some wondering, is he due? Not only does he lead the most lethal frontline in Europe but he also takes his sides penalties. With that in mind Haaland was one of the first names into the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 2.
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