How ball recoveries can boost your #UCLfantasy team

There have been a couple of changes to points scoring in #UCLfantasy this season and chief among those is the introduction of ball recoveries, where every three balls recovered will earn your player an additional point. With a number of players hitting double figures for ball recoveries on matchday one, there is plenty to be gained by selecting those who excel in this area.

UEFA.com runs the rule over the top ball-winners in the first round of matches.

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Player, Club, Role, Value, Balls recovered

Nineteen players recorded at least ten ball recoveries on matchday one – ten defenders and nine midfielders – with LOSC's Benjamin André and Thiago Alcántara of Bayern top of the pile with 12 recoveries each. That was enough for an additional four #UCLfantasy points, the same amount of points a forward would receive for scoring a goal, so it's clear to see the benefits of selecting a couple of ball-winners in your side.

Perhaps the most striking takeaway from this list is how cheap these players are. Over half of those featured come at a bargain-basement price of €4.5m or, in the case of Leipzig defender Willi Orban, even cheaper. Even the most expensive player on the list – Thiago – would not break the bank at €7.0m, so there is clearly a lot of value to be had in these defensively minded players.

With such budget-friendly options now offering a viable route into regular points, the addition of ball recoveries could be a game-changer for #UCLfantasy squad selection. Will any of these players feature in your team on matchday two?

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