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#UCLfantasy: What the numbers say

UEFA.com analyses the statistics to find out which players are projected to bring in big hauls on matchday two.

Neymar (left) and Kylian Mbappé are both projected to score big for Paris on matchday two
Neymar (left) and Kylian Mbappé are both projected to score big for Paris on matchday two ©AFP

Predicting which fantasy players are going to perform for a given matchday can be a difficult task. Through crunching the numbers, a projected points total for each player has been calculated based on the player's historical performance in the UEFA Champions League. Goals, assists, clean sheets and the likelihood of playing are other major parameters used in our projections.

The top projected players for each position for matchday two are given below.

GOALKEEPERS

PlayerPrice
ClubOpponentsHome/AwayGamedayProjected
Anthony Lopes4.5LyonShakhtarHTuesday6.1
Jan Oblak6.0AtléticoClub BruggeHWednesday6.1
David de Gea6.0Man. UtdValenciaHTuesday6.1
Manuel Neuer6.0BayernAjaxHTuesday6.1
Robin Olsen4.0RomaPlzeňHTuesday6.0

The goalkeepers projected to keep a clean sheet in matchday two vary in terms of their price bracket. Atlético's Jan Oblak, Manchester United's David de Gea and Bayern's Manuel Neuer are all priced at €6.0m Atlético face Club Brugge, who managed a single away goal the last time they reached the UEFA Champions League in 2016/17. Manchester United have kept four clean sheets in their last six UEFA Champions League home matches, while Bayern conceded just one goal at home in last season's group stage.

The cheaper options are Anthony Lopes, whose Lyon side host a Shahktar Donetsk team that failed to score in three of their four UEFA Champions League away matches last season, and Robin Olsen of Roma. The Italian side kept five clean sheets in six home UEFA Champions League matches last season.

DEFENDERS

PlayerPrice
ClubOpponentsHome/AwayGamedayProjected
Joshua Kimmich6.0BayernAjaxHTuesday8.1
Aleksandar Kolarov5.5RomaPlzeňHTuesday7.3
Marcelo6.5Real MadridCSKA MoskvaATuesday7.2
Alex Telles5.5PortoGalatasarayHWednesday7.1
Mats Hummels6.0BayernAjaxHTuesday6.7
Jérôme Boateng6.0BayernAjaxHTuesday6.2
Kieran Trippier5.5TottenhamBarcelonaHWednesday6.0
Kostas Manolas6.0RomaPlzeňHTuesday6.0
Victor Lindelöf5.0Man UtdValenciaHTuesday6.0
Chris Smalling5.5Man UtdValenciaHTuesday6.0

The top projected defenders highlight how important home fixtures are in the UEFA Champions League, with nine of the ten playing in front of their own fans on matchday two.

The top four projected defenders are full-backs, although Marcelo is likely to miss Real Madrid's trip to Moscow. Bayern's Joshua Kimmich and Roma's Aleksandar Kolarov offer both defensive and attacking potential for Fantasy managers. During last year's home group stage matches, Bayern conceded just one goal with two clean sheets, while Roma went one better as they shut their opponents out in all three home group stage matches. At the other end, Kimmich scored three times at home in the competition during 2017/18 with two assists, whilst Kolarov chipped in with two assists at home.

MIDFIELDERS

PlayerPrice
ClubOpponentsHome/AwayGamedayProjected
Philippe Coutinho8.5BarcelonaTottenhamAWednesday7.6
Paul Pogba9.0Man UtdValenciaHTuesday7.2
Douglas Costa8.5JuventusYoung BoysHTuesday7.1
Mohamed Salah11.0LiverpoolNapoliAWednesday6.8
Luka Modrić8.0Real MadridCSKA MoskvaATuesday6.7
Yacine Brahimi7.0PortoGalatasarayHWednesday5.4
Sadio Mané9.5LiverpoolNapoliAWednesday5.1
Thiago Alcántara8.5BayernAjaxHTuesday5.0
Piotr Zieliński6.5NapoliLiverpoolHWednesday4.8
Arjen Robben8.5BayernAjaxHTuesday4.8

In midfield, Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho sits at the top of the list having managed five goals and two assists in just five appearances for Liverpool in last year's group stage, earning an impressive 4.67 points per appearance.

Fresh from his two-goal display against Young Boys on matchday one, Paul Pogba faces a Valencia side that conceded two goals and two penalties to ten-man Juventus in their opening match. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané scored 20 goals between them in the 2017/18 Champions League on Liverpool's run to the final.

FORWARDS

PlayerPrice
ClubOpponentsHome/AwayGamedayProjected
Neymar11.0ParisCrvena zvezdaHWednesday10.4
Roberto Firmino9.5LiverpoolNapoliAWednesday8.7
Karim Benzema10.0Real MadridCSKA MoskvaATuesday8.6
Antoine Griezmann10.5AtléticoClub BruggeHWednesday8.0
Romelu Lukaku10.0Man UtdValenciaHTuesday7.6
Kylian Mbappé10.0ParisCrvena zvezdaHWednesday7.2
Edinson Cavani11.0ParisCrvena zvezdaHWednesday7.1
Vincent Aboubakar6.5PortoGalatasarayHWednesday7.1
Steven Bergwijn6.0PSVInternazionaleHWednesday6.7
José Callejón8.5NapoliLiverpoolHWednesday5.6

Validating their price tags, the top ten projected forwards have an expensive look to them. Top of the list is Neymar, who had a hand in six goals (four goals, two assists) at the Parc des Princes in last season's group stage. Playing Crvena zvezda in their opening home match means club-mates Kylian Mbappé and Edinson Cavani also make the list.