UCL Fantasy Football returns for the knockouts

The UEFA Champions League resume on 16 February when the round of 16 kicks off, and with Matchday 7 bringing about a new Knockout Phase leaderboard for #UCLfantasy managers, those who missed out in the group stage are given another opportunity to compete for prizes.

Whether you took part in the group stage or you are playing #UCLfantasy for the first time, you will be given unlimited free transfers ahead of the resumption of Europe's premier club competition. Here UEFA.com lists some handy tips on how best to use your transfers and offers some advice how to be successful in the knockout stages.

Firstly, a quick overview of the key rules:

• Unlimited free transfers are available to all #UCLfantasy managers up until the Matchday 7 (round of 16 1st legs) deadline at 21:00 CET on 16 February
• The squad budget has increased from €100m to €105m (although this may vary slightly depending on any value you have gained/lost in the group stage)
• The number of players you are able to select from one club has increased from three to four, and this will continue to rise with each round
• Once the first-leg matches have taken place, #UCLfantasy managers will be granted three free transfers ahead of the second legs (Matchday 8). Each transfer used beyond that threshold will deduct four points from your total
• Unlike the group stage, unused free transfers will not carry forward to the following matchday

So, how should #UCLfantasy managers approach the next phase of the competition? Here are some pointers:

Select players from a variety of teams

Loading up on assets from a small handful of teams that you think are certain to progress to the quarter-final stage is tempting, but this is a risky strategy. We see surprise results in the UEFA Champions League every year and you don't want to find yourself in a situation where you don’t have enough free transfers to fill your squad with active players in future matchdays. Being flexible with your initial squad selection is likely to serve you well in the long run.

Give yourself a captaincy option on each gameday

Matchday 7 takes place over four separate days (16/ 17 and 23/24 February), giving #UCLfantasy managers four opportunities when it comes to captaincy. By including strong options from each gameday you are maximising your chances of selecting a captain who provides a significant points return. The stick or twist decision is more important than ever in the knockout phase, so decide ahead of time how many points you will be satisfied with from your skipper.

Study the form book

Performing well in the group stage is no guarantee that this will continue into the round of 16 and beyond, particularly as the gap between Matchday 6 and 7 is more than two months. Plenty can change in that time so before selecting each player, consider how they have been performing in the interim. Have they, or indeed their team, been in good form? Have they been regular starters? Indeed, you may even discover some new assets you had not previously considered. Closer to the Matchday 7 deadline, keep an eye on UEFA.com for our predicted starting line-ups article as this may inform your choices.

Maximise your chips

While some returning #UCLfantasy managers may have one or both of their chips (Wildcard and Limitless) remaining, new entrants will have an advantage on many in the sense that they will definitely have both from the start. Deploying these chips at the right moment can have a huge impact on your score so it is worth weighing up your options ahead of each matchday to assess whether it is worth activating one of them.

Prizes

A PS5 is up for grabs on each matchday! To be eligible for the draw, all you need do is one of the following:

• Pick a team
• Make a substitution
• Make a transfer

Additional prizes are also available to the top three performers on each matchday, and for those who finish in the top three in either the Knockout Phase leaderboard or the Global leaderboard. Check out all the prizes.