UCL Fantasy Football popular picks and potential differentials

UEFA.com looks over some highly-owned #UCLfantasy assets as well as some names who could prove shrewd differentials.

GOALKEEPERS

Popular pick

Edouard Mendy (€5.2m) vs Atlético
Chelsea continued the excellent defensive form they have showed throughout this season's UEFA Champions League Matchday 7, when they secured a 1-0 victory against Atlético. It was the fifth clean sheet accrued in the competition this season by Senegalese goalkeeper Mendy, with the Blues stopper currently the highest scoring goalkeeper in #UCLfantasy having picked up 35 points over the course of his six appearances. Another clean sheet in the second leg will ensure Chelsea’s passage to the quarter-finals, so don't expect Thomas Tuchel's side to take any unnecessary risks that will leave them defensively exposed. With that in mind, another shutout looks very much on the cards so Mendy's popularity among #UCLfantasy managers is fully justified.
Owned by 17%

Potential differential

Thibaut Courtois (€5.9m) vs Atalanta
With three clean sheets in his last four UEFA Champions League matches, Courtois has been in fine form, with his latest European appearance ending with him successfully keeping out Atalanta as Zinédine Zidane's side edged out a 0-1 win in the first leg. A second successive clean sheet against the Serie A side will be enough to see Madrid through to the quarter-finals for the first time in three years and as such, the Spanish side will certainly look to prioritise solidarity in their back line. With relatively low ownership among #UCLfantasy managers, the Belgian goalkeeper is worthy of attention.
Owned by 7%

DEFENDERS

Popular pick

Joshua Kimmich (€6.6m) vs Lazio
The Bayern man has been deployed largely as a central midfielder this season and was fielded in the middle of the park by Hansi Flick on Matchday 7 as the defending European champions defeated Lazio 4-1 in Rome. Kimmich missed Matchdays 4, 5 and 6 due to injury, but before then had racked up 28 Fantasy points in his first three group stage appearances having registered one goal, three assists and a clean sheet. With so many opportunities for the versatile German international to obtain points, it is no surprise that he is currently the most popular defender among #UCLfantasy managers.
Owned by 28%

Potential differential

Robin Gosens (€5.7m) vs Real Madrid
Combining defensive solidarity with a potent attacking threat, Atalanta's Gosens is the ideal hybrid defender from a #UCLfantasy perspective. Whilst not making an impact against Real Madrid in the first leg, he could well play a crucial role in the return fixture as the Italian side aiming to turn around a one-goal deficit. Atalanta's three UEFA Champions League group games played away from home this season brought the German 26 #UCLfantasy points for his limited ownership. Gosens found the net in three consecutive Serie A fixtures recently, and such domestic form makes it easy to see why the Atalanta star has all the makings of a smart selection for any #UCLfantasy manager looking to steal a march on the competition.
Owned by 3%

MIDFIELDERS

Popular pick

Kingsley Coman (€8.4m) vs Lazio
While Coman recorded a single assist in Bayern's first-leg victory away to Lazio, he could well play a more notable role on Matchday 8. The flying winger scored three times for Bayern over the course of the group stage with all those goals, alongside a further two assists, all coming at home. Considering that Lazio have to commit extra bodies forward as they attempt to turn around a three-goal deficit, Coman is primed to capitalise on the space afforded to him. This can only be a positive for the large number of #UCLfantasy managers who already have the Frenchman in their squads.
Owned by 19%

Potential differential

Kevin De Bruyne (€11.4m) vs Mönchengladbach
Influential midfielder De Bruyne was an unused substitute in Manchester City's first-leg victory away to Mönchengladbach but he has since featured prominently in other competitions and has a good chance of lining up against the German outfit in the second leg. Whilst any #UCLfantasy manager looking to transfer in De Bruyne will have to be wary of Josep Guardiola's penchant for chopping and changing his side, four assists and two ten-point scores in the two group stage matches De Bruyne has started this season indicates the high points ceiling of the midfield playmaker for anyone willing to take the risk.
Owned by 5%

FORWARDS

Popular pick

Lionel Messi (€12.1m) vs Paris
Having lost the first leg 1-4 at home, Barcelona have no choice but to take the game to Paris on Matchday 8 as they need to score at least four goals if they wish to stand any chance of progressing to the quarter-finals. In order to pull off such a comeback, they’ll need Messi to deliver the magic that we all know he is capable of. The Argentinian superstar scored his side's only goal of the first leg and is currently enjoying a rich vein of scoring form having racked up seven goals in his last six games in all competitions. The #UCLfantasy points potential for a forward such as Messi is extremely high and that is reflected by the fact he appears in almost a third of teams overall.
Owned by 32%

Potential differential

Karim Benzema (€10.4m) vs Atalanta
After not featuring for Real Madrid on Matchday 7 due to injury, Benzema is expected to be available for selection on Matchday 8 as Zinédine Zidane's men look to defend their slender one-goal advantage against Atalanta. The French striker scored four goals in five appearances for his team over the course of the group stage and they have missed his presence recently, suffering from a lack of goals in his absence. Should Benzema take his place in the starting line-up on Matchday 8, then he represents a fantastic differential option, especially when you consider his pedigree in the competition – only four players in history have scored more UEFA Champions League goals than him.
Owned by 5%