#UCLfantasy: The Scout squad

The UEFA Champions League final has one major advantage; you can wait for the starting line-ups to be announced before picking your squad. The Scout is aiming to leave it as late as possible to pick the last line-up of the season – and bear in mind you will only need 11 players to score points, rather than the usual 15, so there might be scope for some clever budget transfers to free up funds.

Goalkeepers

Bayern's Manuel Neuer in trainingUEFA via Getty Images

Generally picking a goalkeeper for the final is relatively straightforward but the injury that forced Paris's usual No1 Keylor Navas (€5.6m) to miss the semi-final makes this a little trickier than usual.

Navas's deputy Sergio Rico (€4.3m) delivered a clean sheet and seven #UCLfantasy points in the semis, so it's a tricky selection between those two and Bayern's Manuel Neuer (€6.0m) – especially with clean sheets unlikely when the top two scorers in this season's UEFA Champions League meet. Bayern have hit 42 goals to Paris's 25 so Neuer is likely to get the nod for the team, although it's worth bearing in mind Navas has picked up one point more than the Bayern man in #UCLfantasy despite playing two games less.

Defenders

Paris defender Juan Bernat scores in the semi-finalGetty Images

The fact both teams are likely to concede means that attention turns to defenders with attacking capabilities. Few are more adept in that regard than Paris left-back Juan Bernat (€5.8m) – who is likely to have extra motivation against his former club – and Bayern's Joshua Kimmich (€6.5m), who is set to play at right-back for Bayern. In addition to their defensive prowess, both players have registered two goals and two assists in this season's competition.

Paris have conceded only five goals on the way to their first UEFA Champions League final and, though that record is likely to come under severe scrutiny against Bayern, performances this season mean Thiago Silva (€5.6m) – in what is likely to be his last game for the club – Presnel Kimpembe (€5.6m) and the budget-friendly Thilo Kehrer (€4.3m) complete the defensive line-up.

Midfielders

Bayern's Alphonso Davies (left) and Thomas MüllerGetty Images

There are two stand-out options among the midfielders, Bayern's Serge Gnabry (€8.5m) and Paris' Ángel Di María (€8.4m), who racked up 15 points apiece in the semi-finals. Gnabry put two goals past Lyon to make in nine for the season, and has 77 points on #UCLfantasy; Di María has 20 points fewer but has a total of 21 across his last two appearances in the competition.

Filling the remaining three places is more of a challenge, and although Alphonso Davies (€5.2m) has been deployed at left-back for most of Bayern's campaign, four assists show his attacking potential remains undiminished. Thiago Alcántara (€7.1m) is the third highest-scoring midfielder left on the game, while his Bayern team-mate Ivan Perišić (€8.5m), who has amassed 42 points this season, completes the selection.

Forwards

Kylian Mbappé (left) and Neymar in trainingGetty Images

There are two picks up front that are almost mandatory – 15 goals, six assists, 102 #UCLfantasy points for the season, is there anyone who dare leave out Robert Lewandowski (€11.1m)? Neymar (€11.5m) might be unable to match those numbers but 34 points from his last five appearances is nothing to be sniffed at either. The third forward berth is a toss-up between Kylian Mbappé (€10.7m) or Thomas Müller (€9.0m), with the Bayern man currently getting the nod for both budget reasons and his big-game pedigree – although that could all change once the final line-ups come out.