Champions League Fantasy Football: Popular Picks and Potential Differentials

Ahead of the UEFA Champions League final, UEFA.com casts an eye on Liverpool and Real Madrid players who are drawing significant interest among managers on #UCLfantasy, presented by PlayStation, as well as some notable assets flying under the radar.

• Who should be your final captain?
• Fantasy tips for the final

GOALKEEPERS

Thibaut Courtois (€6.7m) vs Liverpool
Courtois has played a crucial role in Real Madrid's progression to the final and enters Matchday 13 as the highest-scoring goalkeeper on #UCLfantasy. Eight saves in the semi-final second-leg against Manchester City brought the Belgian the Player of the Match award and helped him to seven Fantasy points, despite not keeping a clean sheet.
Owned by 20%

Alisson Becker (€6.4m) vs Real Madrid
The Liverpool No1 has an identical ownership to his Madrid counterpart at the time of writing. Alisson cannot be considered a differential selection as his ownership has consistently risen throughout the knockout stage. He has 16 fewer points overall compared to Courtois but has kept two more clean sheets across the knockout stage and comes into the final having received the Premier League Golden Glove award thanks to his 20 shut-outs in England's top flight this term.
Owned by 20% 

DEFENDERS

Popular Pick

Trent Alexander-Arnold (€7.0m) vs Real Madrid
A popular selection across this year's UEFA Champions League, Alexander-Arnold is the only defender owned by over 40% of #UCLfantasy managers and it's easy to see why given his points potential. The attacking full-back is not only part of a strong Liverpool defence but also poses a major threat going forward. That was in evidence during Liverpool's semi-final defeat of Villarreal, Alexander-Arnold picking up a clean sheet, an assist and 12 #UCLfantasy points across the two fixtures. He is the highest-scoring Liverpool defensive asset to date with 48 points.
Owned by 43%

Potential Differential

Ferland Mendy (€5.8m) vs Liverpool
Mendy is another full-back likely to feature in the final who also boasts considerable offensive prowess. With a single-figure ownership percentage, the French international represents a significant differential option and that should appeal to #UCLfantasy managers looking to find an edge on Matchday 13. Mendy's assist in Madrid's semi-final first leg at Manchester City underlined his attacking potential and Carlo Ancelotti's side kept a clean sheet in the last two Liga matches he started. That said, #UCLfantasy managers should wait for the line-ups prior to the Matchday 13 transfer deadline before committing to bringing Mendy in.
Owned by 5%

MIDFIELDERS

Popular Pick

Mohamed Salah (€11.2m) vs Real Madrid
Although the goals have dried up for Salah recently in the UEFA Champions League, his track record earlier in the competition means he is still the most-owned player across all positions. Salah has already found the net eight times in Europe and contributed an assist in each of the Reds' semi-final matches. Only Karim Benzema can better Salah's 76 Fantasy points and his vast ownership will be hoping he can repeat his attacking exploits from Liverpool's 2019 UEFA Champions League final triumph against Tottenham, in which he found the net early on from the penalty spot.
Owned by 47%

Potential Differential

Casemiro (€7.5m) vs Liverpool
The fact that he is very rare goalscorer may explain the low ownership of Casemiro compared to other midfield players set to feature on Matchday 13, but the 30-year-old remains a highly valuable #UCLfantasy pick by virtue of his ball-recovery record. No Madrid midfielder has racked up more recoveries than Casemiro, which has brought him 18 of his 39 Fantasy points. The Brazilian has collected four points in each of his last six UEFA Champions League appearances and that consistency means he is well worth considering.
Owned by 10%

FORWARDS

Popular Pick

Karim Benzema (€10.8m) vs Liverpool
With ten goals scored between Matchdays 8 and 12 – and 61 Fantasy points in that period alone – it is no surprise that Benzema is the most popular forward in the #UCLfantasy community, and his ownership will surely rise even further as we approach the final. The Frenchman scored against Liverpool in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final, one of his four goals against the Reds, and his incredible recent form suggests he could well add to that tally at the Stade de France.
Owned by 35%

Potential Differential

Luis Díaz (€8.5m) vs Real Madrid
Despite only joining in January from Porto, Díaz has fast established himself as a key figure at Liverpool and is expected to be named among the Reds' starting front three. Two goals, an assist and 24 points for Díaz across Liverpool's quarter and semi-final triumphs underline his potential, and he is comfortably the Reds' highest point-scorer among forwards when including his group stage returns for Porto. Anyone looking for Liverpool coverage in their forward line would be wise to consider the Colombian international, whose current ownership is far inferior to the likes of Benzema and Vinícius Júnior.
Owned by 16%