#UCLfantasy matchday twelve: The Scout squad
Monday, May 6, 2019
Article summary
The Scout's 15-man squad for the semi-finals second leg leans heavily on players from Barcelona and Ajax.
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Barcelona and Ajax are both well placed to reach the UEFA Champions League final after first-leg wins in which both kept clean sheets, and The Scout's 15-man squad for the conclusion of the semi-finals reflects that.
Goalkeepers
With Ajax and Barcelona both keeping clean sheets in the first legs, The Scout squad picked up a bumper haul. The Dutch club's André Onana (€4.6m) is included again, as Ajax are in fine form while Spurs have lost nine of their last ten away games, while home advantage also plays its part in the selection of Liverpool's Alisson Becker (€5.8m) over Marc-André ter Stegen, although don't be surprised if both sides concede at Anfield.
Defenders
Attacking full-backs are the order of the day in defence, with Liverpool's Andrew Robertson (€5.6m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (€5.7m) a likely source of assists having both provided 11 in this season's Premier League, equalling the competition record. Barcelona's budget centre-back Clément Lenglet (€5.0m) is another to keep his place from the first leg, while Ajax pair Nicolás Tagliafico (€4.6m) and Matthijs De Ligt (€4.8m) picked up five and six points respectively in the first game against Spurs.
Midfielders
With Mohamed Salah out injured for Liverpool, Sadio Mané (€9.1m) is likely to shoulder much of the Reds' attacking burden, particularly given Roberto Firmino is also absent. Tottenham might not be in the best of form but the return from suspension of Son Heung-Min (€8.1m) should give their attack a greater cutting edge, while former Ajax midfielder Christian Eriksen (€9.0m) will have a point to prove on his return to Amsterdam. Ajax's Donny van de Beek (€5.5m) retains his place having scored in the first leg, with Hakim Ziyech (€7.3m) taking the last spot in midfield; 26 of his 40 points have come in the knockout rounds.
Forwards
No surprise to see Barcelona providing two players to the forward line, both of whom found the net in the first leg against Liverpool. Lionel Messi (€11.8m) now has 12 goals in this season's competition, including six in the knockout rounds, while Luis Suárez (€10.3m) struck against his former club in the first leg and returns to familiar surroundings looking for a first away UEFA Champions League goal since September 2015. Ajax's David Neres (€7.0m) completes the attacking trident; he's picked up 11 points in the home knockout rounds so far.
