Who are the best UCL Fantasy Football options for the round of 16?

With the draw having now been made for the round of 16, UEFA.com picks out some of the top-performing Fantasy assets from each fixture.

TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY

Barcelona vs Paris

There were fireworks the last time these two European heavyweights were drawn together in the UEFA Champions League, with Barcelona memorably overturning a 4-0 first-leg deficit in the 2016/17 round of 16. Neymar (€11.4m) was the chief architect of Barcelona's second-leg revival but the Brazilian will now line up against the Catalan giants, with #UCLfantasy managers hoping for a repeat of his hat-trick on Matchday 6 that ensured Paris's progression.

Neymar's attacking partner Kylian Mbappé (€10.9m) will also be a tempting option, while on the opposite side of the pitch the lure of Lionel Messi (€12.1m) remains strong for #UCLfantasy managers following his 28 points in the group stage, although all three of his goals came from the penalty spot.

Leipzig vs Liverpool

The standout #UCLfantasy performer across both sides in the group stage was Leipzig left-back Angeliño (€5.4m), whose advanced role makes him one of the most exciting defensive assets in the game. Two double-figure hauls in the group stage illustrate what the Spaniard is capable of and it would not be surprising to see him register more attacking returns across two legs against 2018/19 champions Liverpool.

Reds manager Jürgen Klopp will be hoping that Diogo Jota (€7.9m) can overcome injury by the time Matchday 7 rolls around, as the Portuguese star has proven to be an excellent acquisition for the Premier League side. Four goals across the group stage – including a hat-trick against Atalanta on Matchday 3 – are a sign of things to come for Jota, who looks a steal should he return to fitness in time. As ever, don't overlook Mohamed Salah (€11.6m) either; the Egyptian is the joint highest-scoring midfielder on the game with 34 points.

WEDNESDAY 17 FEBRUARY

Porto vs Juventus

Porto had a phenomenal defensive record in the group stage, keeping five consecutive clean sheets from Matchday 2 onwards, and Zaidu Sanusi (€5.0m) played an integral role in that solidity. The left-back’s price tag has already risen by €0.5m but, given that he’s the second highest scoring #UCLfantasy defender in the game with 46 points, he still represents excellent value.

If that defence is to be breached though, it is likely that Cristiano Ronaldo (€12.0m) or Álvaro Morata (€9.0m) will be involved. Morata in particular has enjoyed an excellent UEFA Champions League campaign so far and is currently the joint top scorer in the competition with six goals. Half of those have been assisted by Juan Cuadrado (€6.7m), whose five assists overall is a competition high and has helped him accumulate 32 points overall.

Sevilla vs Dortmund

Erling Braut Haaland (€11.1m) has already forged his way into the UEFA Champions League history books by becoming the youngest player to reach the 15-goal mark and he is sure to once again feature prominently in #UCLfantasy teams on Matchday 7. Dortmund’s defensive assets will also be in high demand as the likes of Mats Hummels (€5,2m), Raphaël Guerreiro (€6.1m) and Thomas Meunier (€5.3m) are all proven Fantasy assets who have scored well this season.

When hunting for Sevilla options, you could do a lot worse than centre-back Diego Carlos (€5.1m), whose 44 ball recoveries across the group stage helped him gain an extra 14 points, while Ivan Rakitić (€7.1m) is a differential option to consider. The Croatian midfielder registered two goals, an assist and 18 ball recoveries across the first six matchdays to pick up 31 #UCLfantasy points, making him Sevilla's top scorer on the game.

TUESDAY 23 FEBRUARY

Atlético vs Chelsea

Many #UCLfantasy managers will be looking at this tie as one where they can pick up clean sheets, and Chelsea particularly stood out in this department in the group stage. Frank Lampard’s men conceded just twice in their six games, so Edouard Mendy (€5.2m) – the highest scoring #UCLfantasy goalkeeper with 29 points – looks an excellent option given his price. Veteran centre-back Thiago Silva (€5.1m) is also one to look at, with the Brazilian registering 22 ball recoveries in just three appearances so far.

A little further forward, Atlético's João Félix (€9.0m) looks the standout option in the midfield department with the 21-year-old having scored three goals in the group stage, while the 3%-owned Luis Suárez (€9.9m) will be overlooked by many but could be an astute differential if he can transfer his Liga form to the knockout stages.

Lazio vs Bayern

Two of the most lethal strikers in Europe will go toe-to-toe here with Ciro Immobile (€10.6m) and Robert Lewandowski (€12.1m) hoping to fire their sides into the quarter-finals. Immobile has certainly had the better of it so far, scoring five goals and providing an assist in 327 minutes of action – less time than it has taken Lewandowski to score three goals.

In midfield, Lazio's Joaquín Correa (€8.1m) has been one of the more consistent performers so far. The Argentinian has two goals and two assists to his name in the UEFA Champions League this season but has snuck under the radar somewhat as he only features in 1% of #UCLfantasy squads at present despite picking up 32 points, the joint fourth highest score among midfielders.

WEDNESDAY 24 FEBRUARY

Atalanta vs Real Madrid

Atalanta defenders make up the five highest scoring #UCLfantasy players between these two teams, but the standout pick is Cristian Romero (€5.1m). Indeed, Romero was the top #UCLfantasy pick across all positions in the group stage, collecting 50 points, and that is chiefly down to his incredible ball recovery skills. The centre-back is in a league of his own in that department having made an astonishing 72 ball recoveries in only five appearances, enough for 22 points.

On the other side of the pitch, Real Madrid's Casemiro (€6.2m) is one of the top ball-winning midfielders and has been a popular option in the group stage, while the evergreen Karim Benzema (€10.4m) – fifth on the list of all-time UEFA Champions League goalscorers – has struck four times in the competition so far this season.

Mönchengladbach vs Manchester City

Mönchengladbach managed to escape what was a fiercely contested Group B and the Bundesliga side will certainly not be underestimated when it comes to this round of 16 tie with Manchester City. Their leading performers from a Fantasy perspective were forward pair Alassane Pléa (€8.4m) and Marcus Thuram (€8.7m) and midfielder Lars Stindl (€8.3m), with #UCLfantasy managers set to be tempted by their budget-friendly price tags. Pléa is the top-scoring forward on #UCLfantasy this season with 41 points.

Kevin De Bruyne (€11.m) only featured in two of Manchester City's Group C encounters yet still managed to pick up an impressive four assists and you can be sure the Belgian will be one of the first names on the team sheet on Matchday 7. Another enticing option is Ferran Torres (€7.7m), whom Josep Guardiola has favoured in the UEFA Champions League this season; that faith had been rewarded by the Spaniard scoring in four of his five group stage appearances.