Champions League Fantasy Football: Budget enablers

UEFA.com presents a selection of lower-priced players across all positions who could prove to be the perfect budget selections for Matchday 1 of UCL Fantasy, presented by PlayStation.

GOALKEEPERS

Arguably the most established budget goalkeeper is Yann Sommer (€4.5m), now at Club Brugge. For the last few years, Sommer was a key part of an Inter Milan team who were consistently tough to score against and his experience should help keep things tight for Ivan Leko's side in the league phase, with a home game against Aston Villa on Matchday 1. Taking over from Sommer at the Italian champions appears to be Josep Martínez (€4.5m), who has started the new Serie A season as Inter's first choice, although summer signing Ivan Provedel (€4.5m) does offer competition and there is a daunting opening fixture at Real Madrid.

Albanian international Thomas Strakosha (€4.5m) did not concede a goal in either leg of AEK Athens' play-off round triumph over Levski Sofia; the Greek side begin at home to debutants LASK. For those looking to go as cheap as possible though, there are a couple of options when it comes to likely league phase selections. Fabian Bredlow (€4.0m) has started the campaign as first-choice for a Stuttgart side taking on Viking at home on Matchday 1. Zion Suzuki (€4.0m), who recently joined Aston Villa, will be competing with Marco Bizot (€4.0m) for a starting role in the first game at Club Brugge.

DEFENDERS

On the scoresheet in the second leg of Bodø/Glimt's play-off win against N.E.C., full-back Fredrik André Bjørkan (€4.5m) underlined his attacking credentials for a club who reached the round of 16 last season, although his side's opening fixture is at Bayern München. He is one of many budget-enabling defenders who offer both clean-sheet potential and the capability to record goal involvements.

Riccardo Calafiori (€4.5m) is an appealing prospect given his start to the season. First-choice in all three of Arsenal's matches so far in all competitions, the Italian has a goal and two assists plus three clean sheets. While the temptation for Mikel Arteta to rotate is a threat to Calafiori's minutes in the league phase, he could represent outstanding value should he be picked for the opening trip to Napoli.

Already on the scoresheet this season, Galatasaray centre-back Davinson Sánchez (€4.5m) looks a potentially smart budget differential having registered a goal, three clean sheets and 57 ball recoveries in last season's Champions League. His side start at Sporting CP, whose right-back Iván Fresneda (€4.0m) has started their most recent two domestic fixtures, while new Bayern signing Nathaniel Brown (€4.0m) has been fielded in an attacking midfield role recently.

MIDFIELDERS

Key to Lens' excellent Ligue 1 campaign in 2025/26 with 14 goals and ten assists, Florian Thauvin (€6.5m) will aim to take that form into Europe in 2026/27. The 33-year-old winger has started with four goals in three games for the French side, who travel to Slavia Praha on Matchday 1.

Having impressed in Europe last season, plenty of eyes will be on another new Bayern signing, Ismael Saibari (€6.5m) at home to Bodø/Glimt. He scored three goals for PSV, two of which were outside the box, and should enjoy more chances to register attacking returns at his new club, recording two assists off the bench in his Bundesliga debut.

With Saibari gone, there is more onus on Guus Til (€5.5m) in attack for PSV and he has started the campaign strongly, scoring twice against Utrecht. Leipzig have also made a positive start, winning in both the league and cup while hitting nine goals. A scorer in both their first two fixtures, Ridle Baku (€4.5m) should put Fantasy bosses on alert for the trip to Como considering his budget-friendly cost. The same applies to Rodrigo Zalazar (€4.5m), who has both a goal and an assist for Sporting CP this season from attacking midfield.

FORWARDS

While some Fantasy managers invest heavily in premium forwards, there are plenty of cheaper solutions capable of significant returns. Donyell Malen (€6.5m) has started the season with five goals in two games for Roma, whose first game takes them to Fenerbahçe, while Inter's Pio Esposito (€6.5m), who recently signed a new deal, is also worth consideration.

There were a number of big-performing forwards in the play-off round, with Barnabás Varga (€6.5m) likely to lead the line for AEK Athens in the league phase. Varga scored twice against Levski Sofia in a 4-0 win which sealed the Greek side's league phase spot and now has four goals in his last three appearances.

Como striker Tasos Douvikas (€6.5m) scored in each of his first two Serie A games this season for the Champions League debutants, while both Vedat Muriqi (€6.0m) and Andreas Helmersen (€5.0m) were play-off round goalscorers for Fenerbahçe and Bodø/Glimt respectively, with the latter also expected to take penalties.