Champions League Fantasy Football: What the numbers say

Ahead of Matchday 9, UEFA.com crunches the numbers to find out which players are predicted for big points hauls.

Predicting which Fantasy players are going to perform on any given matchday is a difficult task. Through crunching the numbers, a projected points total for each player has been calculated based on the player's historical performance in the UEFA Champions League. Goals, assists, clean sheets and the likelihood of playing are the major parameters used in our projections.

The top projected players for each position for Matchday 9 are given below. As ever, check the latest team news and possible line-ups before making your final selection.

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GOALKEEPERS

Clean sheets are likely to become more difficult to come by now that we've reached the quarter-finals, but the algorithm gives Edouard Mendy the greatest chance of a shut-out. European champions Chelsea have not conceded a goal at Stamford Bridge in the UEFA Champions League this season – a record they will look to maintain when they entertain Real Madrid on Matchday 9. On the opposite side of the pitch though, is the top #UCLfantasy points scorer among goalkeepers, the former Chelsea No1 Thibaut Courtois sitting on 45 points overall having played every minute for the Spanish side in Europe this season.

Elsewhere, Brazilian goalkeepers Ederson and Alisson Becker will also court attention among #UCLfantasy managers, while Benfica's Odisseas Vlachodimos offers a cheaper alternative and with only Courtois having gained more Fantasy points this season, the Greek international could be the value pick.

DEFENDERS

João Cancelo has sat out two of Manchester City's last three UEFA Champions League games, but now that we have reached the business end of the competition, the Portuguese star should be a sure thing in Pep Guardiola's starting line-up. Given his impressive Fantasy output to date – two goals, three assists and 40 ball recoveries – it's easy to see why Cancelo is the highest projected defender for Matchday 9.

Fellow Premier League defenders Thiago Silva and Virgil van Dijk are also tipped to perform well for Chelsea and Liverpool respectively, while former Manchester City centre-back Nicolás Otamendi is second only to Cancelo in terms of total #UCLfantasy points. The 34-year-old has been one of the most reliable defensive assets throughout the competition, yet features in just 8% of teams at present.

MIDFIELDERS

In terms of #UCLfantasy midfielders, Leroy Sané has been in a league of his own this season with his 81 points well clear of his closest competitor. The Bayern man has recorded a double-figure return on five separate occasions so far, and a sixth is not out of the question when the German side travel to Villarreal on Matchday 9. Doubling up on the Bayern midfield will be a consideration for many, and the remarkably consistent Kingsley Coman offers an excellent second option having returned at least six points in his last six UEFA Champions League games.

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah – who sits on eight goals in the UEFA Champions League this season – is the highest-owned #UCLfantasy midfielder by some distance and the algorithm gives the Egyptian a good chance of gaining more points against Benfica on Matchday 9.

Riyad Mahrez is backed to add to his seven attacking returns when Manchester City take on Atlético, while Villarreal's Arnaut Danjuma, who scored his fifth goal of the campaign against Juventus in the round of 16 second leg, is the most budget-friendly option in the top five projected midfielders.

FORWARDS

Finding a #UCLfantasy team that doesn't contain Robert Lewandowski on Matchday 9 would be a tall order, with the Bayern striker way out on his own in terms of total points in his position. The Pole sits third on the list of all-time goalscorers in the UEFA Champions League, one position ahead of Karim Benzema. The Real Madrid veteran reminded #UCLfantasy managers of his value with a hat-trick against Paris Saint-Germain last time out, and his ownership is set to rise as the Matchday 9 deadline approaches.

Cheaper options into the Bayern and Real Madrid forward lines can be found in the form of Thomas Müller and Vinícius Júnior respectively, while Benfica's Darwin Núñez is set to lead the line against Liverpool with four goals and two Player of the Match awards under his belt already.