Who are the best UEFA Champions League Fantasy Football options for the Round of 16 in FanTeam’s €250,000 tournament?
On Tuesday the 16th of February at 21:00 CET, the world’s footballing elite return to our screens and our lives, with the Knockout Phase of the UEFA Champions League set to get underway.
Of course, many fantasy bosses will now be turning to Fantasy Champions League Football once more, but look no further – as we are breaking even more records with our mouthwatering €250,000 prize pool, with a life-changing €25,000 going to the first place winner.
In our previous article, which you can read here, we touched on the general Rules and Scoring, to give you a clearer understanding of the game and how to get involved.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the opening fixtures in the opening Round of 16 and discuss potential targets for a first draft lineup.
The Round of 16
You will know from reading our previous articles that we only need to look at the immediate fixtures, as we get a Wildcard prior to each stage (Quarter Finals and Semi Finals) to use and re-build our team.
Please note, we won’t go in to great depth and underlying stats with the brief fixture reviews below, as I’m sure we’ll all be doing our own research and planning over the weekend, ready for Tuesday’s kick-off.
TUESDAY 16th FEBRUARY, 2021
Barcelona vs. Paris Saint Germain (PSG)
PSG have a point to prove after the last time they played in the 2016/17 season. They went to the Camp Nou for the second leg 4-0 up, only to get turned over 6-1.
Neymar (11.0M) has switched sides now, and he was PSG’s leading goal-scorer during the group stages with six goals, which included a hat-trick in their last group match.
His partner in crime, Mbappé (10.5M) will also be a tempting option and offers a combination of goal threat and creativity (he recorded two goals and assists during the group stages).
For Barcelona, all eyes are of course on Messi (10.5M). He picked up three goals in four games during the group stages, however all three of the goals came from the penalty spot.
When he starts, he plays the full match though, making him a solid captaincy option on FanTeam and also provides that extra thrill of watching him play in real-time, whilst owning him in your lineup.
RB Leipzig vs. Liverpool
We can’t talk about Leipzig without mentioning their (or technically Manchester City’s) attacking wing-back Angelino (6.0M).
He operates as a forward and he racked up three goals and four assists in the group stages (recording the second highest points total from the group stages).
Liverpool’s pacey wing-back, Alexander-Arnold (7.5M) is not renowned for his defensive prowess and could struggle to stop him.
Liverpool will be desperate for the return of Jota (8.0M). He scored four goals during the group stages, including a memorable hat-trick against Atalanta.
If money is no object, then Salah (11.0M) is always worth consideration – as is Mane (10.0M).
Salah picked up three goals and an assist during qualifying, and it speaks volumes about his pedigree that we consider that to be a poor return from him.
Leipzig conceded 12 goals during the group stages and they’re unlikely to be able to shut Liverpool out, but which of the Liverpool front-line grabs the points is a coin-flip at best.
WEDNESDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2021
Porto vs. Juventus
Porto were the bargain defence during the group stage, keeping five consecutive clean sheets (CS) with only three goals conceded, and Sanusi (4.5M) was an absolute bargain. He may have risen in price by 0.5, but he still represents excellent value.
I wouldn’t be too confident about a clean sheet though when Ronaldo (11.0M) comes to town. He played in only four of the group games and recorded four goals and an assist.
If your budget is tight then you could do a lot worse than Morata (9.0M) who started five of the six group games and outscored Ronaldo with six goals and an assist (recording the joint second highest points total with Angelino).
It’s also worth considering a double up with Cuadrado (7.5M) who has racked up five assists in the competition already.
Sevilla vs Dortmund
FanTeam have given the hottest prospect in Europe, Haaland (9.0M), a reasonable price tag, alongside the out of form Sancho (8.0M) who has still recorded the second highest attacking returns for Dortmund after Haaland this season.
They are definitely a combination worth considering and given your 90M budget won’t stretch too far, you might consider this pairing to be solid enablers to afford elsewhere.
Sevilla aren’t particularly strong defensively or in attack. However, if you’re looking for a bargain option, then Rakitić (6.5M) is a differential to consider. He managed two goals and an assist during qualifying and is their talisman.
TUESDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2021
Atletico Madrid vs. Chelsea
Chelsea conceded only twice during qualifying, and they look even less likely to concede under Tuchel.
Investing in their goalkeeper (Mendy 6.0M) or a defender could pay off. They haven’t been as fluid in attack, however Werner (8.0M) has been priced kindly and has the potential to explode.
For Athletico, Félix (8.0M) should recover in time. He was their top scorer during the group stages.
However, although he didn’t pick up any returns during qualifying, Suárez (8.5M) may be worth the additional money given he’s the penalty taker and has scored 16 goals already in La Liga to Félix’s six.
Lazio vs. Bayern
Bayern go into this clash as heavy favourites (3.75(11/4) on the FanTeam Sportsbook), but Lazio have the potential to hurt them and cause an early upset.
Particularly, their top scorer Immobile (6.5M) who has scored five goals in the group stages and 14 in Serie A already. At that price, he’s a solid option for those looking for a differential or cheap enabler.
Lewandowski (12.5M) is the main man for Bayern and priced accordingly. However, he only scored three goals in qualifying (albeit in four games). With Bayern spreading the returns throughout their talented side, it makes it a tough decision whether to invest in the most expensive player in the game.
WEDNESDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2021
Atalanta vs Real Madrid
Atalanta are renowned for their attacking football, but it’s actually their defender, Romero (5.0M) that caught the eye during qualifying, and he was their second highest scoring player.
Despite their poor season in La Liga, Madrid has serious Champions League pedigree. As do some of their players such as Benzema (9.0M), who is fifth on the list of all-time Champions League goalscorers.
He’s already scored four in the competition this year and is the main goal threat for Madrid, making the 9.0M price-tag look seriously attractive.
Mönchengladbach vs Manchester City
Mönchengladbach were surprise qualifiers from the competitive Group B and they’re unlikely to be underestimated this time around.
Plea (6.5M) ended the group stages with the highest points total (46) thanks to five goals and four assists.
Manchester City are a tough nut to crack though, as most Fantasy Premier League managers are already fully aware of.
Pep’s Citizens conceded only one (yes, one!) goal during the group stages and have the best defensive record in the competition.
It’s likely that De Bruyne (11.0M) will be back in time and although he only featured in two of Manchester City’s Group C encounters, he still managed to pick up an impressive four assists.
A similarly priced alternative, Sterling (10.5M) is starting to show some form in the Premier League and ended the group stages as City’s second highest points scorer.
If funds are tight, Phil Foden (8.5M), could be the bargain of the tournament – but can you trust Pep to play him?
Ready to get involved?
Entry is just £22.50, or €25 if playing in euros – and if you finish in the top 2,513 places in this game, you will at least get your money back (£31/€35) plus a bit more. Oh, and don’t forget the €25,000 first-place prize!
The contest kicks off at 21:00 CET on Tuesday the 16th of February, so be sure to register and enter a team to avoid missing out.
Click the banner below for more information or to create your free FanTeam account today.
This article was brought to you by @christanfpl
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