#UCLfantasy: Matchday 6 captain contenders
Friday, December 6, 2019
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With some sides through and some still fighting to reach the last 16, UEFA.com ponders the captaincy debate.
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#UCLfantasy managers will need to navigate a tricky Matchday 6 as the group stage comes to a close, so who should be in the captaincy debate? Here are four options to consider.
TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER
Erling Braut Haaland (€4.6m) vs Liverpool (H)
Salzburg need to beat the reigning European champions on Tuesday in order to progress from the group stage, and the fact they have even a fighting chance going into Matchday 6 is thanks in no small part to their 19-year-old striking sensation. Haaland – who scored against Liverpool in the 4-3 thriller at Anfield on Matchday 2 – has hit the net in every single group stage match so far and the Norwegian will be gunning for the clean sweep, a feat achieved only once in UEFA Champions League history, by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2017/18.
Tammy Abraham (€6.5m) vs LOSC (H)
The signs were not promising when Abraham was forced off injured in Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Valencia on Matchday 5, but the English forward – who is enjoying a stellar first season in the first team at Stamford Bridge – only missed one Premier League game and returned with a goal and assist against Aston Villa on 4 December. In the UEFA Champions League, Abraham was on the scoresheet against LOSC on Matchday 2 and is a good bet for a repeat in London as Frank Lampard's men aim to book their spot in the round of 16.
WEDNESDAY 11 DECEMBER
Mislav Oršić (€6.2m) vs Manchester City (H)
Dinamo Zagreb are third in Group C but could stil secure qualification if they beat Manchester City on Matchday 6. Easier said than done, but their Premier League opponents are already guaranteed to finish in first place and are in the midst of a hectic domestic schedule, so Josep Guardiola could well field a heavily rotated side. Oršić has been Dinamo Zagreb's star performer this season, having scored three hat-tricks in all competitions – including against Atalanta on Matchday 1 – and is the fifth highest scoring #UCLfantasy midfielder.
Robert Lewandowski (€10.7m) vs Tottenham (H)
Bayern are guaranteed to finish top of Group B, so is there a risk that Lewandowski will be rested for Matchday 6? Perhaps, but that's not a gamble many #UCLfantasy managers will want to take. Like Haaland, Lewandowski has also found the net on all five matchdays so far, while the Bayern striker is just one behind Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 11 goals in a single group stage campaign. If you need any more convincing, the Polish international has scored in 12 of Bayern's last 13 group stage games stretching back to 2017/18, so his armband credentials are undeniable.