Champions League Fantasy Football: Midfielders

As we turn our attention towards Matchday 2 of the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League, UEFA.com highlights a number of midfield assets that #UCLfantasy managers should have their eyes on.

It was a memorable Matchday 1 for Christopher Nkunku (€7.5m), who did not deserve to find himself on the losing side after scoring a hat-trick in Leipzig's 6-3 defeat at Manchester City. The French midfielder accumulated 20 #UCLfantasy points, the highest score of any midfielder on Matchday 1. Leipzig can take plenty of positives from the defeat and will be expected to deploy a similarly attacking style of play on Matchday 2 at home to Club Brugge.

This should bode well for Nkunku, who looks a very worthwhile #UCLfantasy investment, although he isn't the only Leipzig midfield asset that warrants attention. Dani Olmo (€7.5m), Emil Forsberg (€7.0m) and Dominik Szoboszlai (€7.0m) all have the potential to accrue a healthy points total for a side who have found the net five times across their two home games so far this season.

Dortmund continued their rich vein of goalscoring form in all competitions on Matchday 1, beating Beşiktaş 2-1 in Turkey. Whilst all the attention was understandably on striker Erling Haaland, it was midfielder Jude Bellingham (€7.0m) who stole the headlines with a goal and assist, for Haaland, in a Player of the Match performance. A total of 15 Fantasy points was reward for Bellingham's showing and it would be no surprise to see him in among the attacking returns once again on Matchday 2 as Dortmund host a Sporting CP side on the back of a heavy defeat at the hands of Ajax.

Owners of Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (€10.5m) will have been disappointed with a Matchday 1 score of five points, the Egyptian having a first-half penalty saved before managing to find the net in the second half as the Reds triumphed against AC Milan. Those looking for an alternate or even a second midfield option among Jürgen Klopp's side should consider Sadio Mane (€10.0m), who has scored in successive Premier League games and after being rested on Matchday 1, is expected to start for Liverpool in Portugal.

Although Manchester United were beaten 2-1 by Young Boys on Matchday 1, the Red Devils had looked to be in full control when they took the lead in the first half before Aaron Wan-Bissaka's red card sparked the turnaround.

United playmaker Bruno Fernandes (€10.5m) had already recorded an assist, ultimately finishing on five #UCLfantasy points, and has scored four goals across his side's two home Premier League games this season. Don't be surprised if he transfs that goalscoring form into the Matchday 2 contest against Villarreal.