Champions Manager Spillerunde 5: captain and best buys

Champions Manager Spillerunde 5 preview: best buys, captain picks and who to sell

Champions Manager Spillerunde 5 is played on 24 and 25 November, and it is the last round you can set up before the league phase runs into its two most awkward weeks. Spillerunde 6 follows on 8 and 9 December and carries Arsenal - Real Madrid, the fixture every premium decision in the game bends around. Spillerunde 7 is not until 19 and 20 January, so the third column of every program below sits on the other side of the winter break.

The obvious names are obvious: Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha are each on more than a third of all squads. This preview is about the spots after them: which programs are worth owning for three rounds, which cheap players earn their place, and which popular picks to move on from now rather than in a fortnight. The full projections sit on our Champions Manager player picks page, and last round's thinking is in the Champions Manager Spillerunde 4 preview.

Champions Manager Spillerunde 5 programs: whose next three rounds are worth owning

Real Madrid have the best three-round run in the game at 7.98 expected goals: [H]PSV → [A]ARS → [H]LAS. The PSV home game is the strongest fixture of Spillerunde 5, with a 79% win probability and 3.10 expected goals, and LASK at home in Spillerunde 7 is even better, at 86% and 3.57 expected goals. The trip to Arsenal in the middle is the week to plan around, not a reason to stay away. Two excellent fixtures out of three is a clean buy on our fixture ladder.

Bayern München are the most balanced program at 7.05 expected goals and 0.98 expected clean sheets: [A]LIL → [H]SLP → [A]MUN. Their best fixture is Slavia Prague at home in Spillerunde 6, so Bayern assets peak a round later than Real Madrid's. Paris Saint-Germain are the opposite shape. [H]ROM → [A]AVL → [A]COM is front-loaded, with Roma at home (70% win probability, 2.74 expected goals) followed by two away trips.

For defenders, Arsenal stand alone. [H]BVB → [H]RMA → [A]BET is worth 1.05 expected clean sheets, the only total above one, and the Dortmund game carries the highest clean-sheet chance of the round at 41%. At the bottom, Shakhtar Donetsk (3.27), Sabah FK (3.28), PSV Eindhoven (3.42), Slavia Prague (3.57) and LASK (3.74, with a trip to Real Madrid in Spillerunde 7) have the weakest attacking runs. Every team has three fixtures in the window, so the totals compare like for like. Check the dates on the Champions Manager schedule.

Team	Spillerunde 5	Win probability	Expected goals	Clean sheet	Program (Spillerunde 5-7)	3-round xG	3-round CS
Real Madrid	[H]PSV	79%	3.10	38%	[H]PSV → [A]ARS → [H]LAS	7.98	0.93
Bayern München	[A]LIL	58%	2.17	30%	[A]LIL → [H]SLP → [A]MUN	7.05	0.98
Paris Saint-Germain	[H]ROM	70%	2.74	32%	[H]ROM → [A]AVL → [A]COM	6.95	0.79
Barcelona	[A]SFK	72%	2.70	36%	[A]SFK → [H]MCI → [A]SCP	6.87	0.84
Inter	[H]STU	71%	2.61	36%	[H]STU → [A]BVB → [H]LIV	6.58	0.87
Manchester City	[H]NAP	68%	2.49	34%	[H]NAP → [A]BAR → [A]RCL	6.31	0.79
Arsenal	[H]BVB	70%	2.36	41%	[H]BVB → [H]RMA → [A]BET	6.09	1.05
Atletico Madrid	[H]VIK	55%	1.96	31%	[H]VIK → [A]PSV → [A]BOD	5.62	0.89
RB Leipzig	[H]RCL	54%	1.99	29%	[H]RCL → [A]MUN → [H]SHK	5.60	0.81
Liverpool	[A]CLB	53%	2.17	23%	[A]CLB → [H]POR → [A]INT	5.45	0.71
Napoli	[A]MCI	14%	1.08	8%	[A]MCI → [H]CLB → [A]SFK	5.40	0.66
Galatasaray	[H]AVL	45%	1.90	21%	[H]AVL → [A]AEK → [H]FEY	5.31	0.62
Villarreal	[A]SLP	32%	1.34	21%	[A]SLP → [H]SFK → [A]FB	5.14	0.76
Viking	[A]ATM	22%	1.18	14%	[A]ATM → [H]FEY → [H]PSV	5.07	0.71
VfB Stuttgart	[A]INT	12%	1.01	7%	[A]INT → [H]LIL → [H]CLB	4.94	0.58
Como	[H]AEK	57%	1.99	33%	[H]AEK → [A]BET → [H]PSG	4.80	0.64
Fenerbahçe	[A]SHK	44%	1.56	28%	[A]SHK → [A]LAS → [H]VIL	4.78	0.75
Manchester United	[A]SCP	34%	1.45	21%	[A]SCP → [H]RBL → [H]FCB	4.76	0.59
Aston Villa	[A]GAL	31%	1.56	15%	[A]GAL → [H]PSG → [H]BVB	4.76	0.48
Lille	[H]FCB	20%	1.21	11%	[H]FCB → [A]STU → [H]SBR	4.55	0.63
Feyenoord	[H]POR	47%	1.69	29%	[H]POR → [A]VIK → [A]GAL	4.55	0.58
Roma	[A]PSG	13%	1.14	6%	[A]PSG → [H]SCP → [A]AEK	4.54	0.59
Lens	[A]RBL	22%	1.23	14%	[A]RBL → [H]BOD → [H]MCI	4.33	0.53
Bodø/Glimt	[H]LAS	48%	1.86	25%	[H]LAS → [A]RCL → [H]ATM	4.31	0.53
Real Betis	[A]SBR	41%	1.54	26%	[A]SBR → [H]COM → [H]ARS	4.25	0.69
AEK Athens	[A]COM	20%	1.12	14%	[A]COM → [H]GAL → [H]ROM	4.23	0.57
Slovan Bratislava	[H]BET	32%	1.33	21%	[H]BET → [H]SHK → [A]LIL	4.22	0.70
Sporting CP	[H]MUN	40%	1.58	23%	[H]MUN → [A]ROM → [H]BAR	4.08	0.51
Club Brugge	[H]LIV	25%	1.45	11%	[H]LIV → [A]NAP → [A]STU	4.08	0.30
Borussia Dortmund	[A]ARS	12%	0.88	10%	[A]ARS → [H]INT → [A]AVL	3.89	0.42
FC Porto	[A]FEY	28%	1.25	18%	[A]FEY → [A]LIV → [H]SLP	3.79	0.64
LASK	[A]BOD	28%	1.39	16%	[A]BOD → [H]FB → [A]RMA	3.74	0.39
Slavia Prague	[H]VIL	42%	1.57	26%	[H]VIL → [A]FCB → [A]POR	3.57	0.54
PSV Eindhoven	[A]RMA	8%	0.98	4%	[A]RMA → [H]ATM → [A]VIK	3.42	0.37
Sabah FK	[H]BAR	11%	1.02	7%	[H]BAR → [A]VIL → [H]NAP	3.28	0.32
Shakhtar Donetsk	[H]FB	30%	1.25	21%	[H]FB → [A]SBR → [A]RBL	3.27	0.48

Best goalkeepers for Champions Manager Spillerunde 5

Matvey Safonov (5.76m, PSG) projects the most points of any keeper over the next three, 214k from [H]ROM → [A]AVL → [A]COM, and his trajectory runs 83k → 67k → 64k. Only 0.8% of managers own him. He also pairs with Achraf Hakimi below, so one Paris Saint-Germain clean sheet pays twice.

David Raya (5.80m, ARS) is the keeper for Arsenal's [H]BVB → [H]RMA → [A]BET, the best clean-sheet program in the game. He projects 73k → 59k → 63k. The Real Madrid week is the dip, but Arsenal are at home for it, and the two fixtures either side carry him. If you want a cheaper keeper with a flat program, Jan Oblak (4.69m, ATM) gives 63k → 58k → 66k from [H]VIK → [A]PSV → [A]BOD, 186k in total. Flat means you can buy him once and stop thinking about the position.

Two budget keepers stand out. Ederson Moraes (3.53m, FB) has [A]SHK → [A]LAS → [H]VIL, with two of the weakest attacks in the game first, and projects 60k → 54k → 56k, 169k over three. Aleksandar Popovic (2.48m, SBR) is the cheapest keeper worth owning: [H]BET → [H]SHK → [A]LIL, with his best week (71k against Shakhtar) in Spillerunde 6. One to avoid for now is Thibaut Courtois, who drops to 34k at Arsenal in Spillerunde 6.

Best defenders for Champions Manager Spillerunde 5

Achraf Hakimi (5.79m, PSG) is the top defender both this round and over three: 108k → 76k → 69k, 253k in total, from [H]ROM → [A]AVL → [A]COM. He adds attacking returns on top of the clean-sheet chance, which is why his floor holds up through the two away games. At 5.7% ownership he is still a way to get ahead of most of the game.

Alejandro Grimaldo (5.12m, ATM) is the best defender few people own, at 0.5%. Atlético's [H]VIK → [A]PSV → [A]BOD gives him 71k → 62k → 82k, 215k over three, second only to Hakimi. This is where the round and the program disagree: Gabriel (5.22m, ARS), on [H]BVB → [H]RMA → [A]BET, out-scores Grimaldo this round, 78k against 71k, but Grimaldo is 23k ahead over the three rounds. If you are buying one defender to keep, buy Grimaldo. If you want the Arsenal clean sheet against Dortmund, Gabriel's 78k → 56k → 58k is the stronger first week.

The cheaper Arsenal route is Riccardo Calafiori (4.01m, ARS), 68k → 49k → 50k over [H]BVB → [H]RMA → [A]BET. He is owned by 6.6% and gives the same clean-sheet exposure as Gabriel for 1.2m less. At Bayern, Dayot Upamecano (4.19m, FCB) is the safer buy than Nathaniel Brown. Brown projects more (61k → 80k → 56k) but on roughly 47 minutes a game, while Upamecano's 56k → 74k → 46k comes with about 70. Both peak against Slavia in Spillerunde 6 of [A]LIL → [H]SLP → [A]MUN.

The best budget defender is Roland Sallai (3.67m, GAL). Galatasaray's [H]AVL → [A]AEK → [H]FEY gives him 66k → 41k → 60k, 166k over three, at 0.3% ownership. He is projected for 83 minutes this round, so the minutes are not in doubt. Illia Zabarnyi (3.63m, PSG) is the other cheap way into Paris Saint-Germain's [H]ROM → [A]AVL → [A]COM at 61k → 50k → 45k.

For one round only, Odin Lurås Bjørtuft (2.86m, BOD) projects 57k at home to LASK, but [H]LAS → [A]RCL → [H]ATM falls to 24k and 24k after it. That is a one-round buy at a small fee, to be sold again before Spillerunde 6. Real Madrid's defenders are the other way round: Ibrahima Konaté projects 70k against PSV and 77k against LASK, but 18k at Arsenal in between.

Player	Team	Price	Owned	Spillerunde 5	Spillerunde 6	Spillerunde 7	3-round total
Achraf Hakimi	Paris Saint-Germain	5.79m	5.7%	108k	76k	69k	253k
Alejandro Grimaldo	Atletico Madrid	5.12m	0.5%	71k	62k	82k	215k
Gabriel	Arsenal	5.22m	1.7%	78k	56k	58k	192k
Nathaniel Brown	Bayern München	4.50m	6.2%	61k	80k	56k	196k
Dayot Upamecano	Bayern München	4.19m	6.6%	56k	74k	46k	176k
Riccardo Calafiori	Arsenal	4.01m	6.6%	68k	49k	50k	167k
Roland Sallai	Galatasaray	3.67m	0.3%	66k	41k	60k	166k
Illia Zabarnyi	Paris Saint-Germain	3.63m	0.6%	61k	50k	45k	156k
Odin Lurås Bjørtuft	Bodø/Glimt	2.86m	0.4%	57k	24k	24k	104k

Best midfielders for Champions Manager Spillerunde 5

Lamine Yamal (8.21m, BAR) is the template midfielder for good reason. Barcelona's [A]SFK → [H]MCI → [A]SCP gives him 159k → 117k → 121k, 397k over three, the most of any midfielder by 60k. At 37.4% ownership he is protection rather than a differential, and there is no round in the window that makes him a sell.

Michael Olise (7.99m, FCB) is the premium to own for the program rather than the round. Bayern's [A]LIL → [H]SLP → [A]MUN gives him 108k → 134k → 94k, 337k over three. Here the round and the program disagree again: Désiré Doué out-scores Olise this round, 117k against 108k, but Olise is 51k ahead over the three rounds and has his best week in Spillerunde 6, when Doué's Paris Saint-Germain are away at Aston Villa.

The best value in the game sits in Paris Saint-Germain's midfield. Maghnes Akliouche (3.90m, PSG) projects 94k → 78k → 70k from [H]ROM → [A]AVL → [A]COM, 243k over three, at 6.4% ownership. Senny Mayulu (3.10m, PSG) is the hidden gem from the same [H]ROM → [A]AVL → [A]COM: 91k → 71k → 63k, 225k over three, owned by 0.3%. He is projected for about 61 minutes, so he carries more rotation risk than Akliouche. Check the Champions Manager predicted lineups before the deadline.

Two more differentials have programs that hold. Anis Hadj Moussa (3.75m, FEY) gets [H]POR → [A]VIK → [A]GAL and projects 99k → 63k → 73k, 235k in total, at 0.1% ownership. He is projected for 80 minutes, among the safest of any cheap midfielder. Martin Ødegaard (5.37m, ARS) gives 99k → 78k → 70k from [H]BVB → [H]RMA → [A]BET and is owned by only 3.5%. At Manchester United, Bryan Mbeumo (6.10m, MUN) peaks in the middle: [A]SCP → [H]RBL → [H]FCB gives 84k → 107k → 62k, 253k over three.

Zlatko Tripic (3.26m, VIK) has one of the clearest rising trajectories in the game: 55k → 97k → 109k from [A]ATM → [H]FEY → [H]PSV. The Atlético trip is his weak week, and the two home games are where he earns. You can wait a round on him and buy for Spillerunde 6. Owners should hold. For a cheap one-rounder, Ole Blomberg projects 101k at home to LASK, then 56k and 52k.

Player	Team	Price	Owned	Spillerunde 5	Spillerunde 6	Spillerunde 7	3-round total
Lamine Yamal	Barcelona	8.21m	37.4%	159k	117k	121k	397k
Michael Olise	Bayern München	7.99m	11.0%	108k	134k	94k	337k
Désiré Doué	Paris Saint-Germain	6.57m	10.3%	117k	89k	80k	286k
Bryan Mbeumo	Manchester United	6.10m	1.1%	84k	107k	62k	253k
Martin Ødegaard	Arsenal	5.37m	3.5%	99k	78k	70k	248k
Maghnes Akliouche	Paris Saint-Germain	3.90m	6.4%	94k	78k	70k	243k
Anis Hadj Moussa	Feyenoord	3.75m	0.1%	99k	63k	73k	235k
Senny Mayulu	Paris Saint-Germain	3.10m	0.3%	91k	71k	63k	225k
Zlatko Tripic	Viking	3.26m	13.0%	55k	97k	109k	261k
Iliman Ndiaye	Manchester City	3.64m	4.7%	85k	46k	71k	202k

Best forwards for Champions Manager Spillerunde 5

Kylian Mbappé (10.69m, RMA) projects 217k → 90k → 239k from [H]PSV → [A]ARS → [H]LAS, 546k over three, the highest of any player in the game. The Arsenal week costs him more than half his usual score, but the fixtures either side are the two best he has in the window. He is Real Madrid's penalty taker and is projected for 0.85 expected goals against PSV.

Erling Haaland (10.12m, MCI) is the second premium forward on both measures: 192k → 118k → 160k from [H]NAP → [A]BAR → [A]RCL, 471k over three. At 11.5% ownership, against Mbappé's 41.3%, he is the bigger move in a mini-league. Harry Kane (10.33m, FCB) is the forward whose best week is the next one: 131k → 160k → 120k from [A]LIL → [H]SLP → [A]MUN. Owners have no reason to move him.

Below the premiums, Victor Osimhen (5.75m, GAL) is the best value forward. Galatasaray's [H]AVL → [A]AEK → [H]FEY gives him 130k → 92k → 118k, 341k over three, almost level with Raphinha at 1.6m less. He drops to 49k at Paris Saint-Germain in Spillerunde 8, so plan to sell him before that round. Marcus Thuram (5.53m, INT) is the differential: Inter's [H]STU → [A]BVB → [H]LIV gives 118k → 81k → 92k, and only 2.5% own him.

Two budget forwards have good programs. Nacho Ferri (2.51m, FEY) projects 78k → 57k → 66k from [H]POR → [A]VIK → [A]GAL, 202k over three, at 0.1% ownership. Peter Christiansen (3.23m, VIK) follows the same rising shape as Tripic, 47k → 96k → 97k from [A]ATM → [H]FEY → [H]PSV, so he is a buy for Spillerunde 6 rather than this one. Compare every forward on the Champions Manager market probabilities page.

Player	Team	Price	Owned	Spillerunde 5	Spillerunde 6	Spillerunde 7	3-round total
Kylian Mbappé	Real Madrid	10.69m	41.3%	217k	90k	239k	546k
Erling Haaland	Manchester City	10.12m	11.5%	192k	118k	160k	471k
Harry Kane	Bayern München	10.33m	25.7%	131k	160k	120k	411k
Raphinha	Barcelona	7.35m	45.4%	142k	103k	103k	349k
Victor Osimhen	Galatasaray	5.75m	7.3%	130k	92k	118k	341k
Marcus Thuram	Inter	5.53m	2.5%	118k	81k	92k	291k
Nacho Ferri	Feyenoord	2.51m	0.1%	78k	57k	66k	202k
Peter Christiansen	Viking	3.23m	5.7%	47k	96k	97k	241k

Champions Manager captain picks for Spillerunde 5

Kylian Mbappé (10.69m, RMA) is the captain. He projects 217k at home to PSV, Real Madrid have the round's best win probability at 79%, and he takes their penalties. Doubled, that is the highest ceiling in Spillerunde 5. His program, [H]PSV → [A]ARS → [H]LAS, also puts him back on top in Spillerunde 7 at 239k.

Erling Haaland (10.12m, MCI) is the alternative at 192k from [H]NAP → [A]BAR → [A]RCL, with a 68% Manchester City win probability. He is the pick if you want to go against the 41.3% who own Mbappé. Lamine Yamal (159k at Sabah FK) is third, ahead of Raphinha (142k) and Vinicius Junior (138k).

Captaincy is a plan, not a single pick. Mbappé falls to 90k at Arsenal in Spillerunde 6, and the best captain that round is Harry Kane (10.33m, FCB) at 160k against Slavia Prague ([A]LIL → [H]SLP → [A]MUN). In Spillerunde 7 it swings back to Mbappé. Owning both Mbappé and Kane covers the armband for the next three rounds. Our guide to picking a fantasy captain explains the reasoning.

Who to sell before Champions Manager Spillerunde 5

Fabián Ruiz (3.58m, PSG) is the clearest sale, and he is owned by 30.4%. Roma at home is a good fixture and 72k is a fair score. The problem is the player beside him: Akliouche costs 0.32m more, projects 94k → 78k → 70k from the same [H]ROM → [A]AVL → [A]COM, and is 76k ahead over three. Ruiz drops to 50k and 45k after this round. Why now: the swap already gains 22k in Spillerunde 5, so there is nothing to wait for.

The LASK block is the next sale. Ivan Dibango (2.20m, 18.1% owned), Lukas Jungwirth (2.54m, 17.4%) and Christoph Lang (2.68m, 13.5%) all sit in [A]BOD → [H]FB → [A]RMA, one of the five weakest attacking programs in the game at 3.74 expected goals and 0.39 expected clean sheets. Dibango projects 21k → 22k → -8k. Lang is projected for only 17 minutes this round. Jungwirth's 41k → 48k → 13k compares badly with Popovic, who is cheaper and projects 158k over three against Jungwirth's 102k. Why now: no round in the next three pays for any of them, and the Real Madrid trip makes it worse.

Rayan Cherki (5.76m, MCI) is owned by 12.5% and projects 77k at home to Napoli, a decent fixture. But [A]BAR follows and he drops to 42k, and he is projected for about 46 minutes a game. Iliman Ndiaye (3.64m, MCI) plays in the same [H]NAP → [A]BAR → [A]RCL program and out-projects him in this round (85k against 77k) and over three (202k against 186k), for 2.1m less. Why now: selling before Spillerunde 5 costs you nothing this round, because Ndiaye already scores more.

Gregor Kobel (4.13m, BVB, 8.2% owned) faces [A]ARS → [H]INT → [A]AVL and projects 27k → 45k → 47k. Arsenal away is the worst week of his three, so sell before it. Oblak gives 67k more over the same three rounds. Konstantinos Karetsas (3.02m, BVB, 7.3%) is projected for only 26 minutes a game and has no program to wait for.

Two popular holdings can wait. Liverpool's Jérémy Jacquet (16.6%) and Ronald Araujo (9.9%) have [A]CLB → [H]POR → [A]INT. Club Brugge away and Porto at home are fine weeks, worth 47k and 55k for Jacquet, before Inter away drops him to 16k. Hold through Porto and sell before Spillerunde 7. Stuttgart's Finn Jeltsch (12.0%) and Jeff Chabot (7.7%) project just 2k at Inter, but [H]LIL → [H]CLB behind it lifts them to 31-44k. That is one bad week, not a bad program. Donyell Malen (12.6%) is a hold for the same reason: 56k at Paris Saint-Germain, then 109k and 89k.

Want the squad the model would pick from scratch? The Champions Manager optimal teams solve it live, and every earlier round's preview is in the Champions Manager preview hub. For general strategy, read our holdet.dk managerspil strategy guide.

FAQ

Who should I captain in Champions Manager Spillerunde 5?

Kylian Mbappé is the captain, at 217k projected at home to PSV. Real Madrid have the round's best win probability at 79% and he takes their penalties. Erling Haaland (192k against Napoli) is the alternative, and Lamine Yamal (159k) is third.

Who are the best Champions Manager differentials for Spillerunde 5?

Alejandro Grimaldo (0.5% owned, 215k over three rounds), Senny Mayulu (0.3%, 225k) and Anis Hadj Moussa (0.1%, 235k) are the best low-ownership picks. All three have programs that hold beyond this round, and Mayulu and Hadj Moussa cost under 4m.

Should I sell Fabián Ruiz before Champions Manager Spillerunde 5?

Yes. Fabián Ruiz projects 72k → 50k → 45k, while Maghnes Akliouche costs 0.32m more, plays in the same Paris Saint-Germain program and projects 94k → 78k → 70k. The swap gains points this round and in each of the next two.

Which cheap defenders are best for Champions Manager Spillerunde 5?

Roland Sallai (3.67m) is the best budget defender, with 66k → 41k → 60k from Galatasaray's [H]AVL → [A]AEK → [H]FEY. Illia Zabarnyi (3.63m) is the cheap way into Paris Saint-Germain's program, and Odin Lurås Bjørtuft (2.86m) is a one-round buy at 57k against LASK.

Is Harry Kane worth keeping in Champions Manager Spillerunde 5?

Yes. Harry Kane projects 131k → 160k → 120k from [A]LIL → [H]SLP → [A]MUN, and his 160k against Slavia Prague makes him the best captain in Spillerunde 6, when Mbappé is away at Arsenal.

This preview was written by TheFantasyTool AI.