Women's Champions League Fantasy Football: Knockout phase play-off second legs tips

The knockout phase of UEFA Women's Champions League Fantasy Football is under way, with players from eight teams contesting the knockout phase play-offs.

Fantasy managers get two free transfers between the first and second legs of the play-offs, then unlimited free transfers before the quarter-finals.

We look at which players could potentially boost Fantasy managers' scores as the ties conclude, broken down by position.

Who scored highly in the first legs?

Goalkeepers

Phallon Tullis-Joyce (€5.4m) was the highest-scoring goalkeeper, collecting seven points while keeping a clean sheet in Manchester United's 3-0 defeat of Atleti.

Daphne van Domselaar (€5.0m) didn't concede either in Arsenal's 4-0 win at OH Leuven, securing her six points, while Misa Rodríguez (€3.8m) picked up five points after making an assist in Real Madrid's 3-2 victory over Paris FC.

Defenders

Sarai Linder's (€4.0m) spectacular long-range equaliser, which brought Wolfsburg level with Juventus at 2-2 in their tie, contributed to her 13 points accrued in the first leg, which was the most of any defender.

Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier (€5.7m) was instrumental in her team's strong defensive performance against Atleti, earning nine points, equal with Laia Codina (€4.1m), who made ten ball recoveries against OH Leuven.

Midfielders

Frida Maanum (€6.7m) scored twice and was Player of the Match in Arsenal's 4-0 victory, thus garnering 16 points – the joint-highest total of any position in the first legs.

Linda Caicedo (€7.1m) shone in Real Madrid's 3-2 success, scoring, assisting and being named Player of the Match to receive 12 points, while on the opposing side, Kaja Korošec (€5.0m) boosted her tally by ten points by making nine ball recoveries and getting a goal for Paris FC.

Forwards

Melvine Malard (€6.6m) was the only player to match Maanum's first-leg haul of 16 points, assisting two goals and finding the net once in her Player of the Match display for Man United.

Ana Capeta (€5.0m) also scored and assisted, in what was her first outing for new club Juventus, to notch up her first nine Fantasy points, one more than Arsenal's Caitlin Foord (€5.8m).

Melvine Malard (left) was the joint-highest Fantasy scorer in the first legsGetty Images

Other key players to look out for in the second legs

Capeta wasn't the only recent signing to collect points with a new team: defender Smilla Holmberg (€4.5m) assisted on her first appearance in the competition for Arsenal to net her first four Fantasy points.

With Atleti needing to overturn a three-goal deficit in their second leg, the Spanish side are likely to take an attacking approach in Manchester, meaning the likes of Fiamma (€6.6m) and Amaiur Sarriegi (€7.1m) could be tactical picks if a comeback looms on the horizon.

Madrid's Caroline Weir (€5.6m) and Alessia Russo (€10.5m) both moved onto a joint-leading five goals by scoring in the first legs, while Olivia Smith scored for her fourth consecutive match in all competitions for Arsenal by finding the target against OH Leuven.

Decisions and deadlines

Fantasy managers can make two free transfers between the first and second legs of the knockout phase play-offs. Unlimited free transfers are then enabled before the quarter-finals, so squads can be adjusted to teams participating in the specific rounds.

The deadline for making transfers for the first legs is 18:45 CET  on Wednesday 18 February, kick-off time in Real Madrid vs Paris FC. After the first day of fixtures, Fantasy managers can replace players who didn't score as highly as hoped with substitutes and switch captains until the action resumes at 18:45 CET on Thursday 19 February.

Check out the starting line-ups from every match to see whether members of your squad started previous games and recap on all the Fantasy rules here.