Liga Manager Runde 7: captain picks and best buys

Liga Manager Runde 7 preview: best buys, captain picks and differentials

Liga Manager Runde 7 is a full round: all 20 LaLiga clubs play exactly once between 9 and 12 October, and nobody blanks. The rounds that follow are clean too. No club blanks anywhere from Runde 7 to Runde 12, and the only irregularity is a double for Athletic Club and Levante in Runde 8, where their rescheduled meeting on 21 October lands. So this round is a decision about what comes after it: the Athletic double, Real Madrid's two home games, and the Clasico in Runde 9. Every move below is judged on the next three rounds, not on this weekend alone. Barcelona at home to Getafe is the best single fixture of the round, and Lamine Yamal is the clear captain. All numbers come from our current projections, which you can sort yourself on the Liga Manager player picks page.

Liga Manager Runde 7 programs: whose next three rounds are worth owning

Barcelona have the best three-round run in the game: [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA adds up to 8.08 expected goals. Getafe at home is the best fixture of the round, with a 90% win probability and a 59% clean sheet chance, and Barcelona have averaged 3.9 xG per LaLiga game so far this season. After that their clean sheet chance falls to 27% at Betis and 26% against Real Madrid. Their attackers are the hold; their defenders are mainly a one-round play. Plan around the Real Madrid game in Runde 9 rather than avoiding Barcelona because of it.

Real Madrid's [H]VIL → [H]SEV → [A]BAR has the opposite shape. Two strong home games come first (69% and 78% win probability), then the trip to Barcelona, where they drop to 26%. That makes Madrid assets a two-round buy with Runde 9 as the natural point to reassess, and [A]SAN in Runde 10 (47% clean sheet chance) is a reason to hold the best of them anyway. Atletico Madrid's [A]ALA → [A]ESP → [H]COR is the steadiest run below the big two: 5.87 expected goals and 1.20 expected clean sheets, the most of any team with three fixtures. Atletico have allowed just 1.01 xG per game in LaLiga so far, and the Coruna home game in Runde 9 (51% clean sheet chance) is the best week of the run. This is the program you can buy into and stop thinking about.

Athletic Club have four fixtures in the window: [A]RAY → [A]VAL → [A]LEV → [H]GET. Their totals (5.67 expected goals, 1.44 expected clean sheets) are inflated by the extra game, but the extra game is the point. The Runde 7 trip to Rayo is ordinary (37% win probability), so you can buy into this program a round late, as long as the transfer is in before the double. Levante have the same double ([H]SEV → [A]COR → [H]ATH → [A]RSO) from a weaker base. Villarreal are a Runde 8 buy, not a Runde 7 one: [A]RMA leaves them a 6% clean sheet chance, but [H]ELC (65% win probability) → [A]VAL follows, and [H]ESP comes in Runde 10. Getafe (2.23 expected goals over three rounds), Malaga (3.04) and Deportivo La Coruna (3.17) have the weakest runs in the game. Kick-off times are on the Liga Manager schedule.

Liga Manager Runde 7 goalkeepers

Dominik Livakovic (5.1m, BAR) is the top keeper of the round at 109k against Getafe. Joan Garcia is listed unavailable until 10 October, and the projections keep Livakovic in Barcelona's goal through Runde 11. His program is [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA, worth 109k → 80k → 60k, or 250k over three rounds, and his 21.6k per million is the best value of any keeper this round. Check the Liga Manager predicted lineups before the deadline: if Joan Garcia is named to start, the case for Livakovic is gone.

This is a position where the round ranking and the three-round ranking disagree. Unai Simon (4.9m, ATH) has the best three-round total of any keeper at 267k, running 58k → 132k → 77k over [A]RAY → [A]VAL → [A]LEV → [H]GET. Runde 7 is only average, so if you do not own him yet you can wait a round, as long as he is in before the double. 18.2% of managers already have him. If you are buying one keeper to keep, buy Simon; if you want the Getafe clean sheet, buy Livakovic. Jan Oblak (5.6m, ATM) is the hold-and-forget option: 74k → 73k → 93k over [A]ALA → [A]ESP → [H]COR, 240k in total, with the best week last. Thibaut Courtois projects 80k and 93k over Madrid's two home games but drops to 43k at Barcelona, so he is a two-round keeper, not a hold.

The value pick is Mathew Ryan (3.4m, LEV), owned by 1.7%. Levante's [H]SEV → [A]COR → [H]ATH → [A]RSO gives him 53k → 96k → 51k, or 200k over three rounds. That is within 16k of Courtois for 2.6m less.

Liga Manager Runde 7 defenders

Barcelona's defenders lead the round: Joao Cancelo (107k), Pau Cubarsi (105k) and Gerard Martin (4.6m, BAR) (103k). The three are also the top three defenders over three rounds, between 216k and 222k, all on [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA. Gerard Martin's run is 103k → 70k → 43k: one extremely good fixture and one fair one. Buy him for Getafe, keep him for Betis if the transfer is needed elsewhere, and sell before Real Madrid come in Runde 9. At 22.6k per million he is the best value of the three, and his 46k fee is small next to a 59% clean sheet chance. Cancelo is on 70 projected minutes against Gerard Martin's 80, which is why Gerard Martin is the safer of the two for less money.

For a hold, the Atletico program is the one to own. David Hancko (5.0m, ATM) and Marcos Llorente (4.9m, ATM) run 67k → 63k → 84k and 66k → 62k → 83k over [A]ALA → [A]ESP → [H]COR, 215k and 212k over three rounds, on 84 and 79 projected minutes. They sit just behind the Barcelona trio over three rounds, and their best week is the last one. Alejandro Grimaldo (5.8m, ATM) is listed unavailable until 10 October and projects -5k this round, then 42k and 73k. If you own him, you can wait a round on him, because he is back for the best part of the run.

Real Madrid's two home games are a buy that has to be in before the run starts. Antonio Rüdiger (4.4m, RMA) runs 72k → 70k → 16k over [H]VIL → [H]SEV → [A]BAR on 85 projected minutes, a clean two-round buy with Runde 9 as the sell point. Denzel Dumfries (5.2m, RMA) projects more at 84k → 87k → 28k and holds up better in Runde 10 (72k at Racing Santander), but on 69 projected minutes this round. Pick Rüdiger for the minutes, Dumfries for the ceiling.

Athletic's double makes Aymeric Laporte (3.8m, ATH) the value hold at the back: 39k → 93k → 52k over [A]RAY → [A]VAL → [A]LEV → [H]GET, 184k in total, and already owned by 16.7%. Yuri Berchiche (4.2m, ATH) is the low-owned alternative at 1.9%, with 44k → 95k → 53k and 193k over three rounds. Both are buys you can make a round late, because the double is in Runde 8.

On a budget, Sergio Gomez (3.6m, RSO) is the pick: 72k → 54k → 48k over [H]COR → [A]MAL → [H]LEV, 174k over three rounds on 79 projected minutes, and 19.8k per million this round. Javi Rueda (3.1m, CEL) has the best three-round total of any defender at 3.5m or less, a flat 55k → 58k → 51k over [A]ELC → [H]ALA → [H]BET. Job Ochieng (2.4m) has the best points per million of any defender at 25.3k, but on 45 projected minutes, so Gomez is the safer route into the same Real Sociedad fixtures.

Liga Manager Runde 7 midfielders

Lamine Yamal (11.9m, BAR) is the biggest projection in the game at 279k against Getafe, built on 0.99 projected goals and 0.37 projected assists, and backed by 1.31 xG plus xA per 90 over his first seven LaLiga games. His program holds up: 279k → 202k → 131k over [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA, 613k over three rounds, well clear of any other midfielder. Most managers already own him, so the real decision is the rest of the midfield.

That is where the Athletic double comes in. Inaki Williams (5.4m, ATH) is the strongest of the Athletic attackers: 81k → 193k → 84k over [A]RAY → [A]VAL → [A]LEV → [H]GET, 357k over three rounds, the second-best of any midfielder behind Yamal, and owned by only 2.8%. Vinicius Junior is just behind him over three rounds (335k) at nearly double the price. If you are buying one and keeping him, buy Inaki Williams. You can wait a round, since Rayo away is an ordinary week, but the transfer has to be in before the double. Robert Navarro (4.4m, ATH) (69k → 155k → 66k, 291k) and Oihan Sancet (4.8m, ATH) (60k → 152k → 69k, 281k) are the next options. Sancet has the best underlying numbers of the three so far this season at 0.64 xG plus xA per 90, but he is on only 54 projected minutes this round, so Navarro is the safer route. Alex Berenguer (3.8m, ATH) is the cheapest way in at 58k → 127k → 56k, owned by 2.0%.

Álex Baena (5.5m, ATM) is the most durable mid-price pick. He goes 89k → 87k → 114k over [A]ALA → [A]ESP → [H]COR, 290k in total, and his best week is the last of the three. Ademola Lookman has a similar run (88k → 88k → 122k, 298k) and is on Atletico's penalty-taker list, but on only 57 projected minutes this round, and 14.8% already own him. Kang-In Lee (5.7m, ATM) is the differential route into the same program, at 75k → 76k → 101k and 1.6% ownership.

Goncalo Guedes (5.7m, RSO) is the hidden gem: 95k → 72k → 67k over [H]COR → [A]MAL → [H]LEV, projected for 70 minutes and owned by just 0.4% of managers. He is a top-ten midfielder this round and his program never drops below 67k.

The Madrid midfield follows the Madrid pattern. Vinicius Junior (9.6m, RMA) runs 135k → 144k → 57k over [H]VIL → [H]SEV → [A]BAR, is on Real Madrid's penalty-taker list, and projects 119k at Racing Santander in Runde 10. His weighted six-round score is the third-best in the game, behind only Yamal and Mbappé, so he is the premium to hold through the Barcelona week. Jude Bellingham (8.4m, RMA) is a clean two-round buy at 114k → 113k → 41k, with Runde 9 as the sell point, and 12.4% of managers own him. Fermin Lopez projects 138k this round but falls to 102k and 61k over [A]BET → [H]RMA, so at 7.6m he is a one-rounder that costs a 76k fee each way.

For a cheap rotation, Racing Santander's Inigo Vicente (3.1m, SAN) projects 76k at home to Valencia, 24.2k per million, the best value of any midfielder under 4m. His run then drops to 46k and 40k over [A]OSA → [H]ESP, so buy him for Runde 7 and sell him again. Pablo Garcia (2.9m) is the same play at 66k → 37k → 29k. Antony (5.9m, BET) projects 118k on [H]OSA → [H]BAR → [A]CEL but falls to 46k against Barcelona. He is a one-rounder unless you hold him through to Runde 10, when Betis host Malaga and he projects 117k.

Liga Manager Runde 7 forwards

Kylian Mbappé (15.5m, RMA) has the best three-round total of any forward at 436k, running 171k → 189k → 76k over [H]VIL → [H]SEV → [A]BAR, and he is the second-highest projection in the whole game this round. He has backed it up with 1.34 xG plus xA per 90 over his first seven LaLiga games. Hold him: he is the top projection of Runde 10 at 157k at Racing Santander, and his 155k fee is too much to pay to dodge one trip to Barcelona.

Mikel Oyarzabal (7.8m, RSO) is the forward to buy for the program. He runs 132k → 107k → 103k over [H]COR → [A]MAL → [H]LEV, a flat 343k, with 0.55 projected goals against Coruna, and he is on Real Sociedad's penalty-taker list. This is the clearest case of the round ranking and the three-round ranking pulling apart. Gabriel Jesus (5.3m, BAR) projects 155k against Getafe on 68 projected minutes, the best points per million of any forward at 29.4k, but he drops to 62k and 38k over [A]BET → [H]RMA because his projected minutes fall to around 30. Buy Jesus only as a one-round rotation for the Getafe game, and buy Oyarzabal if you want a forward to keep.

Roberto Fernández (5.4m, ESP) is the mid-price option at 89k → 55k → 92k over [A]MAL → [H]ATM → [A]SAN, on 84 projected minutes, and he climbs to 117k when Espanyol host Coruna in Runde 11. For the Levante side of the double, Ivan Romero (4.3m, LEV) runs 54k → 92k → 53k over [H]SEV → [A]COR → [H]ATH → [A]RSO, 199k over three rounds at 1.4% ownership.

The riser is Lucas Boye (6.3m, ALA), at 251k over three rounds. His run is 59k → 64k → 129k over [H]ATM → [A]CEL → [H]MAL, so the whole case is the Malaga home game in Runde 9, where Alaves have a 56% clean sheet chance and he is the second-biggest projection of that round behind Yamal. Only 1.1% of managers own him. You can wait a round on this one: Atletico is the weak week, and buying before Runde 8 still catches the peak. Ayoze Pérez (5.9m, VIL) and Ante Budimir (7.8m, OSA) are the Runde 8 targets. Ayoze runs 38k → 113k → 67k over [A]RMA → [H]ELC → [A]VAL and projects 115k at home to Espanyol in Runde 10; Budimir runs 42k → 107k → 57k over [A]BET → [H]SAN → [A]SEV. In both cases you can wait a round, because this week is their weakest.

The budget forward is Chupe (3.1m, MAL), at 26.1k per million, and on Malaga's penalty-taker list. Malaga's [H]ESP → [H]RSO → [A]ALA gives him 80k → 72k → 24k, and 15.0% of managers own him already. Treat him as a two-round pick and sell before the trip to Alaves. Marcos Fernandez (3.3m, ESP) is the cheaper differential at 76k → 37k → 64k on [A]MAL → [H]ATM → [A]SAN, owned by 1.1%.

Liga Manager Runde 7 captain picks

Lamine Yamal (11.9m, BAR) is the captain. In Liga Manager the captain scores double, and Yamal projects 279k at home to Getafe, which the double takes past 550k, on 78 projected minutes. Mbappé is a clear second at 171k, with Gabriel Jesus (155k), Fermin Lopez (138k) and Vinicius Junior (135k) behind him. Yamal's [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA makes this an easy call.

Captaincy also shapes which premium to own. Yamal is the top projection of Runde 8 (202k) and of Runde 9 (131k against Real Madrid). In Runde 8, Inaki Williams (193k) and Mbappé (189k) are right behind him, and in Runde 9 Lucas Boye (129k) and Lookman (122k) are next. In Runde 10 Mbappé (157k) edges Yamal (150k). So Yamal gives you a captain in all three rounds, Inaki Williams is the cheap captain alternative for the Athletic double, and Mbappé is the reason to keep both premiums.

Who to sell before Liga Manager Runde 7

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (4.6m, COR) is owned by 38.3% of managers and is listed unavailable until 6 December, so he projects -5k in every round of the window, across [A]RSO → [H]LEV → [A]ATM and beyond. Why now: nothing changes before he returns, so no round is better for selling him than this one.

Raphinha (11.3m, BAR) is owned by 34.8%. The projections have him on zero minutes this round, so he scores -5k in Barcelona's best fixture, then 99k → 81k over [A]BET → [H]RMA. That is 175k over three rounds from 11.3m, while Inaki Williams projects 357k over the same rounds for 5.4m. Why now: this round he scores nothing, and the money is worth more in Athletic's double than in his return.

Nico Williams (5.8m, ATH) is out until 6 November and projects -5k → -10k → -5k over [A]RAY → [A]VAL → [A]LEV → [H]GET. Why now: Athletic's double in Runde 8 is the whole reason to own an Athletic attacker, and he plays none of it. Moving him to Inaki Williams or Robert Navarro puts over 150k into that round instead of a negative score.

Joan Garcia (6.2m, BAR) is owned by 8.3%. He is listed unavailable until 10 October, and the projections have Livakovic starting, so Joan Garcia projects -5k in each of [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA. Why now: Barcelona's best clean sheet chance of the window is this round, and in the projections it goes to Livakovic. If the lineups name Joan Garcia, that changes.

Xavi Espart (3.8m, BAR) is owned by 18.0%, but he projects only 31k in Barcelona's best fixture because he is on 24 projected minutes, then 38k and 26k over the rest of [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA. Why now: even the Getafe game gives him under a third of what Gerard Martin gets from the same clean sheet, for under a million more.

Andres Garcia (2.7m, GET) is owned by 11.9% and projects -18k at Barcelona, the first leg of [A]BAR → [H]RAY → [A]ATH. Rayo at home in Runde 8 is a fair fixture (26k), but Athletic away follows. Why now: this is the worst round of his three. Roger Hinojo (2.1m, ESP) is owned by 13.4% and runs 16k → 9k → 28k over [A]MAL → [H]ATM → [A]SAN on 19 projected minutes this round. Why now: the next two rounds are both weak, and his slot is better used on Rueda or Gomez.

Some popular picks are timing calls rather than sells. Yassir Zabiri (3.4m, SAN) (15.9% owned) projects a respectable 77k at home to Valencia, then 44k → 38k over [A]OSA → [H]ESP and 11k at home to Real Madrid in Runde 10. Keep him for Valencia and sell before Runde 8; you can wait a round on this one. Anthony Gordon (5.2m, BAR) (41.1% owned) runs 109k → 85k → 56k and Karim Adeyemi (4.8m, BAR) (33.1% owned) runs 102k → 73k → 47k, both on around 50 projected minutes or less. Getafe and Betis are both decent weeks for them, so keep them for now and sell before Real Madrid in Runde 9. Deportivo La Coruna's Ximo Navarro (2.1m, COR) and Leo Román (3.3m, COR), owned by 23.5% and 19.4%, run [A]RSO → [H]LEV → [A]ATM, and their one decent week is the Levante home game in Runde 8 (48k and 62k). Hold them through that game and sell before Atletico. If you need funds for Inaki Williams or Rüdiger now, they are the first money to free up.

Liga Manager Runde 7 transfer summary

In: Inaki Williams, Robert Navarro or Sancet before the Athletic double. Rüdiger, Dumfries or Bellingham for Madrid's two home games. Hancko, Llorente or Baena as the Atletico hold. Oyarzabal as the forward to keep. Livakovic in goal if he is confirmed. Gerard Martin, Gabriel Jesus, Vicente or Chupe as short rotations.

Out: Aubameyang, Raphinha, Nico Williams, Joan Garcia, Espart, Andres Garcia and Hinojo.

Next round: sell the one-rounders again, plus Zabiri once Valencia is played. Buy Unai Simon, Laporte or Berchiche if you have not already, and look at Ayoze Pérez, Budimir and Boye for Runde 8.

Club cap: the game allows four players per club, so Yamal, Livakovic, Gerard Martin and one more Barcelona pick would use all four Barcelona spots.

For the squad that maximises these projections, see the optimal teams for Liga Manager, and compare the bookmaker view on the Liga Manager market probabilities page. Last round's picks are in our Liga Manager Runde 6 preview, and every round is collected in the Liga Manager preview hub. For more on strategy, browse our fantasy guides.

FAQ

Who should I captain in Liga Manager Runde 7?

Lamine Yamal. He projects 279k at home to Getafe, well ahead of Mbappé's 171k in second place, and he is also the top projection in both Runde 8 and Runde 9.

Which budget defenders are best for Liga Manager Runde 7?

Gerard Martin (4.6m, BAR) projects 103k against Getafe at 22.6k per million, Sergio Gomez (3.6m, RSO) projects 72k and 174k over three rounds, and Javi Rueda (3.1m, CEL) is the cheap hold at 55k → 58k → 51k.

Should I sell Raphinha before Liga Manager Runde 7?

Yes, if you can use the money. He projects -5k this round on zero projected minutes and 175k over three rounds, while Inaki Williams projects 357k over the same rounds for less than half the price.

Which Athletic Club players should I buy for the Liga Manager Runde 8 double?

Inaki Williams (5.4m) is the best, at 193k in Runde 8 and 357k over three rounds. Robert Navarro and Oihan Sancet project 155k and 152k in Runde 8, and Unai Simon, Laporte and Berchiche are the defensive route. The transfers can wait until Runde 8 if you need them elsewhere now.

Best differentials for Liga Manager Runde 7?

Goncalo Guedes (0.4% owned, 95k this round), Lucas Boye (1.1%, 251k over three rounds), Kang-In Lee (1.6%, 251k over three rounds) and Inaki Williams (2.8%, 357k over three rounds).

This preview was written by TheFantasyTool AI.