UCL Fantasy Football: Best Matchday 10 options

#UCLfantasy managers have been granted three free transfers at the halfway stage in the quarter-finals so UEFA.com outline some assets worth considering from each position.

GOALKEEPERS

Chelsea were the only team to keep a clean sheet on Matchday 9, running out 2-0 winners against Porto, which meant that Edouard Mendy (€5.3m) continued his incredible statistics. In his eight UEFA Champions League appearances this season, the Senegalese stopper has conceded just once – against Krasnodar on Matchday 6 – and he remains the highest scoring #UCLfantasy goalkeeper with 49 points. With Chelsea protecting a lead in the second leg, siding with Mendy would seem to be the sensible move.

If looking elsewhere, Keylor Navas (€5.6m) is something of a save magnet with the Paris goalkeeper having made 44 over the course of the competition – more than any of his contemporaries. The Costa Rican produced an incredible ten saves against Bayern in the first leg, and if the second leg plays out in a similar manner, he could be in line for more #UCLfantasy points.

Despite conceding against Dortmund on Matchday 9, Manchester City's Ederson (€6.0m) remains a viable option having already kept six clean sheets in the UEFA Champions League this season, with the Brazilian second only to Mendy when it comes to #UCLfantasy points among goalkeepers.

DEFENDERS

Managers who loaded up on Chelsea defensive assets on Matchday 9 will have reaped the rewards of the clean sheet against Porto and there will be an even bigger rush to bring them in ahead of the return fixture. Ben Chilwell (€5.2m) was the star of the show with his 13-point haul the highest Fantasy total of all players across the first legs, while César Azpilicueta (€5.2m), Antonio Rüdiger (€4.7m) and Andreas Christensen (€5.2m) all registered satisfying seven-point returns.

With clean sheets at a premium at this stage of the competition, focusing on defenders with attacking potential could be the way to go on Matchday 10. Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold (€6.8m) and João Cancelo (€6.1m) of Manchester City are the joint-highest scoring Fantasy defenders alongside Porto's Zaidu (€5.3m), and they will be worth the financial outlay if they deliver on their promise. Bayern's Benjamin Pavard (€4.9m) and Paris captain Marquinhos (€5.9m) – injury permitting – are also worth considering in this area after the pair registered attacking returns on Matchday 9.

MIDFIELDERS

Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior (€7.9m) is bound to see his ownership rise off the back of his two goals against Liverpool in the first leg. The Brazilian accumulated more Fantasy points (12) than any other midfielder on Matchday 9 and he will be a sought-after asset ahead of the return leg at Anfield. Owners of Mohamed Salah (€11.8m) will also be hoping their man hits the net again with the Egyptian now having scored in each of Liverpool's last four UEFA Champions League contests.

Chelsea's Mason Mount (€6.9m) is a man in form right now with the England international having scored in three of his last four appearances for club and country, but it took until Matchday 9 for him to score his first goal in UEFA club competition. That helps explain his lowly 5% ownership but canny #UCLfantasy managers know a differential diamond when they see one and Mount certainly falls into that category.

Manchester City pair Kevin De Bruyne (€11.3m) and Phil Foden (€7.1m) will rightly receive plenty of attention ahead of the second legs but Croatian veteran Luka Modrić (€7.8m) continues to tick over with consistent returns. The Real Madrid man has averaged 6.6 Fantasy points per game over the course of his last five UEFA Champions League appearances.

FORWARDS

Already one of the most popular choices in #UCLfantasy frontlines, Kylian Mbappé (€11.1m) is even hotter property now after his first-leg double at Bayern. The Frenchman is in devastating form in the competition, hitting the net eight times in Paris's last four UEFA Champions League games, and now only Erling Haaland (€11.2m) has accumulated more Fantasy points among forwards at this stage. Mbappé's team-mate Neymar (€11.6m) also makes for a hugely appealing option as the Brazilian's two assists on Matchday 9 took him to eight attacking returns in his last four European appearances.

Those who love a budget forward will have been glad to see Bayern's Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (€6.6m) amongst the goals on Matchday 9 and he could well lead the line again on Matchday 10 given the continued absence of Robert Lewandowski.

It was somewhat surprising that Karim Benzema (€10.4m) was not directly involved with any of Real Madrid's three goals against Liverpool in the first leg but the Frenchman remains a huge threat and, having scored twice on his last visit to Anfield in 2014, is well placed to add to the five goals he has already scored in the UEFA Champions League this season.