Champions League Fantasy Football: Popular Picks and Potential Differentials

UEFA.com shines the spotlight on some of the most popular picks, alongside a selection of lesser-owned assets who could make a splash on Matchday 6 on #UCLfantasy, presented by Playstation.

GOALKEEPERS

Popular Pick

Thibaut Courtois (€6.0m) vs Celtic (H)
Despite having not featured in two of Real Madrid's last three UEFA Champions League fixtures, Courtois remains comfortably the most popular goalkeeper from an ownership perspective. Courtois did play on Matchday 5 following a spell on the sidelines with a back injury, but a 3-2 defeat away at Leipzig means the holders are still not certain to finish first in Group F. The Belgian is therefore expected to keep his place on Matchday 6 against a Celtic side who have scored just three goals so far in the group stage.
Owned by 30%

Potential Differential

Ciprian Tătărușanu (€3.9m) vs Salzburg (H)
Injury to first-choice goalkeeper Mike Maignan has allowed veteran Tătărușanu an extended run in the Milan side and the 36-year-old recorded his first UEFA Champions League clean sheet of the season on Matchday 5, saving six shots to earn eight Fantasy points. Milan know that avoiding defeat at home to Salzburg on Matchday 6 would be enough to qualify for the knockout stage, and the Italian champions will surely prioritise defensive security, so the low-priced Tătărușanu could be a shrewd Fantasy pick.
Owned by 2%

DEFENDERS

Popular Pick

João Cancelo (€6.7m) vs Sevilla (H)
The Manchester City full-back comes into Matchday 6 as the most popular defender, over half of #UCLfantasy managers owning the versatile Portuguese international. Cancelo warrants the weighty ownership, having already racked up four assists, 28 ball recoveries, two clean sheets and 35 Fantasy points this season. However, his Matchday 6 participation has to be in doubt considering City have already secured first place in Group G; Cancelo was replaced at half-time on Matchday 5 and could well get an evening off in the final round of fixtures.
Owned by 54%

Potential Differential

Mohamed Simakan (€4.7m) vs Shakhtar Donetsk (A)
Leipzig sit second in Group F, three points clear of Shakhtar Donetsk, whose 4-1 win in Germany on Matchday 1 means that another victory when the two teams meet again on Matchday 6 would take them through at the expense of Marco Rose's side. Simakan has been a regular Fantasy points scorer in the Leipzig back line and was most recently named Player of the Match in his side's 3-2 victory against Real Madrid on Matchday 5. Having accumulated the joint-second highest score (35 points) among defenders, Simakan's miserly ownership makes the 22-year-old a handy differential.
Owned by 2%

MIDFIELDERS

Popular Pick

Jude Bellingham (€7.5m) vs Copenhagen (A)
The teenage sensation has been one of the standout stars of this season's. After five rounds of fixtures, Bellingham has registered four goals, two assists, 28 ball recoveries, two Player of the Match awards and 49 Fantasy points – the joint-highest score of any player so far. However, as is the case with Cancelo, the 19-year-old could be at risk of rotation on Matchday 6 with the outcome of Group G having already been decided regardless of the outcome of Dortmund's trip to Copenhagen.
Owned by 31%

Potential Differential

Serge Gnabry (€8.9m) vs Inter (H)
Highly popular on #UCLfantasy in previous seasons, Gnabry's ownership has taken a significant dive this season but his two starts have brought 22 Fantasy points, while he delivered assists for all three Bayern goals in their 3-0 Matchday 5 win at Barcelona. With fellow attacking midfielders Leroy Sané and Kingsley Coman both struggling with injuries, the chances of Gnabry lining up against Inter on Matchday 6 are be fairly high, which could prove extremely productive for Fantasy managers.
Owned by 1%

FORWARDS

Popular Pick

Kylian Mbappé (€11.2m) vs Juventus (A)
The joint-highest #UCLfantasy points scorer of the group stage put in his most rewarding performance yet on Matchday 5, racking up two goals, two assists and 16 points as Paris Saint-Germain beat Maccabi Haifa 7-2. The French champions are still yet to secure top spot in Group H, so despite having booked their last-16 berth, Mbappé may well be in line for a sixth consecutive start this season at Juventus. The striker delivered a 13-point haul in the reverse fixture on Matchday 1, scoring twice and being named Player of the Match.
Owned by 45%

Potential Differential

Julian Alvarez (€5.9m) vs Sevilla (H)
Pep Guardiola knows that he must manage his Manchester City squad carefully with a packed fixture list combining both domestic and European commitments leading up to the FIFA World Cup. With that in mind, the English champions could well rotate for the visit of Sevilla, meaning another possible opportunity for Alvarez, who has started each of the last three group games, scoring in their last home fixture against Copenhagen on Matchday 3. He could turn out to be a bargain differential given his price tag and City's potency in front of goal on their own ground.
Owned by 3%