Champions League Fantasy Football: The Scout squad

After a strong start from a number of big-name players on Matchday 1, the Scout's squad for the second round of group fixtures combines several top-value assets with some shrewd budget picks.

Goalkeepers

No fewer than 12 goalkeepers registered six or more points on Matchday 1, including Koen Casteels (€5.0m), who picked up seven points from Wolfsburg's trip to LOSC Lille. That was the German side's fourth clean sheet of the season in all competitions in their sixth fixture; although they have shipped four goals in their two matches since, a home game against Club Brugge represents an opportunity to get back on track.

Inter have failed to progress from their section in their last three UEFA Champions League campaigns and their attempt to improve on that in 2021/22 stalled as they went down at home to Real Madrid in their opening fixture. Next up is a trip to Shakhtar Donetsk, against whom Samir Handanović (€5.5m) managed two clean sheets in last season's group stage; another could be crucial as the Italian champions look to kick-start their Group D campaign.

Defenders

Two high scorers from Matchday 1 are again included among the five defenders. Wolfsburg's defensive strength, and his low price, combine to make Jérôme Roussillon (€4.0m) an extremely appealling option, with the full-back having collected eight points last time out. Chelsea captain César Azpilicueta (€5.0m) managed nine in the holders' opening win and gains selection despite a potentially tricky game at Juventus, who are missing several of their first-choice attacking players.

The other three defenders are selected as much for their potential going forward as the likelihood of points from clean sheets. Thomas Meunier (€5.0m) managed seven points on Matchday 1 and could add to that at both ends of the field when his Borussia Dortmund side take on a Sporting CP team that shipped five goals at home last time out. Bayern's Joshua Kimmich (€6.5m) has been deployed in a midfield role this season and, having managed three goals and three assists already in the Bundesliga, faces a home game against Dynamo Kyiv looking to improve on his five-point return in the opening fixture. Noussair Mazraoui (€4.5m) picked up six points in his first appearance, three of those coming from an assist, and has scored in all of Ajax's three games since then with the Dutch champions having hit a remarkable 17 goals.

Midfielders

Ajax's attacking prowess, which has brought them 30 goals in their opening seven Eredivisie fixtures in addition to their five on UEFA Champions League Matchday 1, means plenty of their players are worth a second look for the visit of Beşiktaş but Edson Álvarez (€4.5m) is perhaps the standout candidate given both his favourable price and the fact he scored in the league on Saturday. Also playing for a team in form is Salzburg's Luka Sučić (€5.5m), whose side have managed 12 goals since Matchday 1 and who represents a budget-friendly route into at attack-minded midfield for the home game against LOSC.

The two top-scoring midfielders in the game after one round of matches at both selected, Christopher Nkunku (€7.5m) having followed up his Matchday1 hat-trick at Manchester City with two more goals on Saturday as Leipzig hit six in the Bundesliga, while Jude Bellingham (€7.0m) has 15 points to his name thanks to a goal and an assist so far and will fancy adding to that total at home to Sporting. Mohamed Salah (€10.5m) is the high-value pick among the midfield five; not only has he scored in Liverpool's last two games at Porto but has has also found his net in his last five appearances for the club.

Forwards

Such are the options up front that whittling the strikers down to just three names is proving a challenge. The Matchday 2 selections both play for German clubs with enticing home games; Robert Lewandowski (€11.5m) might have had his 19-game scoring run ended in the weekend but, with 11 goals in his eight Bayern München appearances this season, has reason to be confident of finding the net yet again against Dynamo Kyiv. Erling Haaland (€11.0m) is also off the back of a rare weekend without a goal, although in his case because he was rested for Borussia Dortmund's defeat at Borussia Mönchengladbach; as ever, the Norwegian's numbers are impossible to ignore with 15 goals in his 11 group appearances, and 23 in 25 in the UEFA Champions League overall.

The final attacking space is inevitably filled by a player from free-scoring Ajax. The temptation is to go for Sebastién Haller following his four goals on Matchday 1, while Dušan Tadić and Steven Berghuis are both worthy of serious consideration, but three assists on Matchday 1, and a goal in the Eredivisie at the weekend, mean Antony (€7.0m) is the chosen pick.