Champions League Fantasy Football: Scout notes 2 October

UEFA Champions League Matchday 2 continues with Bayern München, Liverpool, Juventus and holders Real Madrid among the clubs in action in Wednesday's nine league phase fixtures.

From expected line-ups to advice on substitutions and captain changes, the scout notes offer guidance to managers on #UCLfantasy, presented by Playstation.

Fantasy decisions

• Both Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta and Girona vs Feyenoord kick off at 18:45 CET on Wednesday, the deadline for Fantasy bosses wanting to make substitutions or change their captain.

• Prior to this deadline, Fantasy managers have the chance to substitute in players that are set to feature on Wednesday.

• With Wednesday the second and final day of Matchday 2, this is the one opportunity Fantasy managers have to change their captain if they want to.

SHAKHTAR DONETSK VS ATALANTA (18:45 CET)

Key Fantasy players

Ademola Lookman (€6.5m) – Atalanta
Has four goals and an assist already this season for Atalanta and Nigeria.

Mykola Matviyenko (€4.5m) – Shakhtar Donetsk
Player of the Match in the 0-0 draw with Bologna on Matchday 1, picking up 11 Fantasy points.

Predicted starting line-ups

Shakhtar: Riznyk; Konoplia, Bondar, Matviyenko, Pedro Henrique; Bondarenko, Kryskiv, Sudakov; Zubkov, Traoré, Newertton

Atalanta: Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Kossounou, Kolašinac; Bellanova, De Roon, Éderson, Ruggeri; Lookman, De Ketelaere; Retegui

GIRONA vs FEYENOORD (18:45 CET)

Key Fantasy players

Quinten Timber (€5.5m) – Feyenoord
Feyenoord's penalty taker following his spot kick against NAC last month.

Jordan Lotomba (€4.0m) – Feyenoord
Budget-priced defender who scored in the Dutch club's last Eredivisie fixture.

Predicted starting line-ups

Girona: Gazzaniga; Alejandro Francés, David López, Krejčí, Miguel Gutiérrez; Herrera, Solís; Tsygankov, Martín, Asprilla; Abel Ruiz

Feyenoord: Wellenreuther; Lotomba, Beelen, Hancko, Smal; Hwang, Timber; Osman, Milambo, Paixão; Ueda

LEIPZIG VS JUVENTUS (21:00 CET)

Key Fantasy players

Benjamin Šeško (€7.5m) – Leipzig
Scorer of Leipzig's only goal on Matchday 1, Šeško added two more against Augsburg at the weekend

Michele Di Gregorio (€4.5m) – Juventus
Juve have conceded just one goal in 2024/25, underlining their goalkeeper's clean-sheet potential on Matchday 2.

Predicted starting line-ups

Leipzig: Gulácsi; Geertruida, Orbán, Lukeba, Raum; Seiwald, Haidara; Baumgartner, Simons; Openda, Šeško

Juventus: Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Gatti, Bremer, Cambiaso; Thuram, Locatelli; González, Koopmeiners, Kenan Yıldız; Vlahović

LIVERPOOL VS BOLOGNA (21:00 CET)

Key Fantasy players

Luis Díaz (€7.5m) – Liverpool
Has five goals and one assist this season, and a viable alternative to the more expensive Mohamed Salah.

Ibrahima Konaté (€5.5m) – Liverpool
Has found the net with headers in two of Liverpool's last three games in all competitions.

Predicted starting line-ups

Liverpool: Alisson Becker; Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Luis Díaz; Diogo Jota

Bologna: Skorupski; Posch, Beukema, Lucumi, Lykogiannis; Aebischer, Freuler, Fabbian; Orsolini, Castro, Ndoye

GNK DINAMO VS MONACO (21:00 CET)

Key Fantasy players

Maghnes Akliouche (€5.0m) – Monaco
The affordable midfielder scored the opening goal in Monaco's 2-1 win over Barcelona on Matchday 1.

Bruno Petković (€6.5m) – Dinamo
The forward has scored in three of Dinamo's last four matches, including at Bayern München on Matchday 1.

Predicted starting line-ups

Dinamo: Nevistić; Ristovski, Théophile-Catherine, Torrente, Pierre-Gabriel; Sučić, Mišić; Córdoba, Baturina, Pjaca; Petković

Monaco: Köhn; Vanderson, Kehrer, Salisu, Caio Henrique; Zakaria, Camara; Akliouche, Minamino, Ben Seghir; Embolo

LOSC LILLE VS REAL MADRID (21:00 CET)

Key Fantasy players

Rodrygo (€9.0m) – Real Madrid
With Kylian Mbappé an injury doubt Rodrygo could come into the team having scored in three of his last six starts for club and country.

Antonio Rüdiger (€6.0m) – Real Madrid
Owned by almost a quarter of Fantasy managers, the German defender recorded nine points against Stuttgart with a goal and five ball recoveries.

Predicted starting line-ups

LOSC Lille: Chevalier; Santos, Meunier, Diakité, Alexsandro, Bakker; Zhegrova, André, Cabella, Sahraoui; David

Real Madrid: Lunin; Lucas Vázquez, Rüdiger, Éder Militão, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Arda Güler; Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior

ASTON VILLA VS BAYERN MÜNCHEN (21:00 CET)

Key Fantasy players

Harry Kane (€10.5m) – Bayern München
The highest-scoring Fantasy player on Matchday 1 with 21 points, the Bayern striker became the 20th player to score four goals in a Champions League game.

Michael Olise (€6.5m) – Bayern München
Has recorded eight attacking returns in seven appearances since moving to Munich, scoring twice on his Champions League debut.

Predicted starting line-ups

Aston Villa: Martínez; Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres, Digne; Bailey, Onana, Tielemans, Ramsey; Rogers, Watkins

Bayern München: Neuer; Guerreiro, Upamecano, Kim, Davies; Kimmich, Pavlovic; Olise, Musiala, Gnabry; Kane

STURM GRAZ VS CLUB BRUGGE (21:00 CET)

Key Fantasy players

Hans Vanaken (€6.0m) – Club Brugge
Three goals in his last four appearances and with a very small ownership, represents a cheap differential pick.

Otar Kiteishvili (€5.5m) – Sturm Graz
Scored from the penalty spot in Sturm's most recent Australian Bundesliga fixture.

Predicted starting line-ups

Sturm Graz: Scherpen; Gazibegović, Geyrhofer, Aiwu, Johnston; Yalcouye, Kiteishvili, Horvat; Biereth, Jatta, Bøving

Club Brugge: Mignolet; Seys, Ordoñez, Mechele, De Cuyper; Vetlesen, Onyedika; Skov Olsen, Vanaken, Tzolis; Nilsson

BENFICA VS ATLÉTICO DE MADRID (21:00 CET)

Key Fantasy players

Antoine Griezmann (€9.0m) – Atlético de Madrid
Player of the Match against Leipzig on Matchday 1 after a goal, assist and 13 Fantasy points, the second highest total among forwards.

Kerem Aktürkoğlu (€6.0m) – Benfica
Six goals in six appearances for Benfica and Türkiye since September and on target in the first round of games.

Predicted starting line-ups

Benfica: Trubin; Bah, António Silva, Otamendi, Carreras; Florentino, Aursnes, Orkun Kökçü; Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Pavlidis, Di María

Atlético de Madrid: Oblak; Molina, Le Normand, Giménez, Riquelme; Llorente, Koke, Gallagher; Lino, Griezmann, Álvarez