Champions League Fantasy Football: The Scout squad for Matchday 13

Picking a squad for the UEFA Champions League final is unlike any other game in the campaign, in that managers on #UCLfantasy, presented by PlayStation, need only 11 players instead of the usual 15. With that in mind, the Scout's final squad of 2021/22 features several budget enablers and is an evenly balanced mixture of players from Liverpool and Real Madrid, with Thibaut Courtois, Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah, Luka Modrić, Karim Benzema and Luis Díaz all earning a place.

Goalkeepers

Of the two goalkeepers, Thibaut Courtois (€6.7m) would look to be a smarter purchase than Liverpool counterpart Alisson Becker, despite the latter's two sheets in the knockout rounds to Courtois' none. However, Alisson has picked up only two save points all season compared to 13 for the Belgian and, with both sides likely to score at the Stade de France, Courtois represents a likelier source of Fantasy points via that route.

Reserve goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher (€4.0m) is a useful budget enabler, at the lowest price on the game.

Defenders

Given the likelihood of both sides finding the net in the final, clean sheet points look unlikely – so the focus turns to other avenues for Fantasy returns among the defenders. In terms of attacking output, there are few better than Liverpool full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold (€7.0m) and Andy Robertson (€6.6m), who have 48 and 36 points respectively, Alexander-Arnold contributing four assists to his team-mate's two.

The top-scoring defender left in the game is Madrid's Éder Militão (€5.8m), whose total of 51 points includes 20 from ball recoveries, and the Brazilian could well be busy in that regard again in Saint-Denis. The non-playing defenders are low-priced Mario Gila (€4.0m) and Pablo Ramon (€4.0m).

• Analysis: Projected points
• Popular picks and differentials
• Who should be your Fantasy captain?

Midfielders

In terms of the premium options in midfield, budget constraints mean there is room for only one of Mohamed Salah (€11.2m) and Sadio Mané, the former getting the nod despite drawing a blank in the UEFA Champions League since the round of 16 first leg. Fitness permitting, Fabinho (€6.2m) will also be included, his goal in the semi-final second leg a welcome bonus on top of his ball-recovery skills which have brought 19 of his 43 points this season.

Madrid's midfield representatives are Luka Modrić (€8.6m), who is second only to Salah in terms of points in his position, and Casemiro (€7.5m), who has 39 points overall – 18 via the ball-recovery route. The non-playing midfielder is Liverpool's Tyler Morton (€4.5m).

Forwards

Unlike in other positions, all three of the forwards in the squad will start – and it proves a relatively straightforward selection, with the top three scorers in #UCLfantasy all making the grade. Karim Benzema (€10.8m) is well clear at the top of the charts with 100 points, scoring ten goals in the knockout stage alone and picking up 61 Fantasy points in his last five appearances. Madrid club-mate Vinícius Júnior (€9.2m) has 59 points overall and, with three goals and six assists in this season's competition, looks Madrid's likeliest source of an attacking return behind Benzema.

From a Liverpool point of view, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino – the latter most likely off the bench – both have their merits, but the standout option is Luis Díaz (€8.5m), whose 50 Fantasy points this season include 26 since his January switch from Porto.