#UCLfantasy: What the numbers say

Predicting which Fantasy players are going to perform on a given matchday is a difficult task. Through crunching the numbers, a projected points total for each player has been calculated based on the player's historical performance in the UEFA Champions League. Goals, assists, clean sheets and the likelihood of playing are the major parameters used in our projections.

The top projected players for each position for matchday 11 are given below. As ever, check team news before making your final selections.

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GOALKEEPERS

Liverpool's Alisson Becker, Barcelona No1 Marc-André ter Stegen, Hugo Lloris of Tottenham and Ajax's André Onana are tasked with keeping their opponents at bay on matchday 11. With no teams projected to keep a clean sheet, the order of these keepers has been decided based on their save potential and the number of goals they are expected to concede.

Top of the list is Liverpool stopper Alisson, despite facing the top-scoring team left in the competition. Barcelona average 2.3 goals and 6.7 shots on target per match – the most of the four remaining clubs. Lloris takes second spot, with Onana in third. Ajax are averaging 15.9 attempts per game while Spurs are only averaging 14.7 attempts on goal. Ter Stegen of Barcelona occupies the final place on the list; Liverpool average just 4.4 shots on target – the lowest of the remaining four teams.

DEFENDERS

It is perhaps unsurprising there are no clean sheets projected for matchday 11. Both Ajax and Tottenham have scored in every UEFA Champions League game this season, whilst Barcelona have only failed to find the net once. As such, the top projected defenders make the list based upon their attacking potential.

Ajax left-back Nicolás Tagliafico has already registered three goals in this season’s competition. Barcelona's Jordi Alba, who seems to operate more like a left winger, has recorded one goal and four assists in this year's UEFA Champions League while club-mate Gerard Piqué has scored a minimum of six #UCLfantasy points in each of his last five appearances and has two goals to his name. Liverpool central defender Virgil van Dijk and Ajax's Matthjis de Ligt both scored on matchday ten.

MIDFIELDERS

The top projected midfielder for matchday 11 is Ajax's Hakim Ziyech, who has registered attacking points in each of his last three away games. Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho, who comes up against his former club Liverpool, has a goal in each of his last two UEFA Champions League home matches.

Christian Eriksen is also set to play against his former club when Spurs take on Ajax. With both Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son sidelined, Tottenham will be looking to Eriksen for inspiration. Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané occupy the final two positions and are currently the top two scoring midfielders in #UCLfantasy with eight goals and three assists between them.

FORWARDS

David Neres

Dušan Tadić is the top projected forward and offers high point-scoring potential with three double-figure points hauls already this term. Of players still in the competition, only Lionel Messi, with ten, has scored more goals than the Serbian international's six. Costing just €7.8m, there aren't many players who offer better value for money.

Messi occupies second spot on the projected list having been incredible at home in the UEFA Champions League this season, registering seven goals and two assists along with 41 #UCLfantasy points at the Camp Nou. Tadić's Ajax team-mate David Neres is at third having recorded two goals and an assist in his last four European matches.
The final two places are taken up by Barcelona's Luis Suárez and Liverpool's Roberto Firmino, who have four goals and five assists between them in the UEFA Champions League this season.