UCL Fantasy: Matchday 1 Preview and Team Reveal
The author
Simon K. Kjær, @AeselFC on X, 25/26 ranks: #FPL 5k │ UCL: 165th │ FWC: 7k.
My previews before every Matchday – what can you expect?
I’m an experienced Fantasy Football aficionado, having played FPL for multiple seasons, finishing 10k and 5k overall in the past two seasons. Last season, I also turned my focus to UCL, finishing #165th in the world on my first attempt.
I will do a thorough preview every Monday, 24 hours before the deadline, covering fixtures, chip strategy and key assets, along with publishing my transfer thoughts. On Tuesday after lineups, I’ll update my preview and publish my team.
Also, remember to check out projected points for ALL UCL players, included in the subscription: https://thefantasytool.com/player-picks-ucl
Mini league
TheFantasyTool hosts an UCL Fantasy mini league with the following prizes for the top three:
League code: 4bq9jm
1: ½-year subscription
2: 3-month subscription
3: 3-month subscription
Chip strategy
In my all-in-one preview (https://thefantasytool.com/previews/ucl-fantasy-the-all-in-one-preview), I highlighted my favourite chip strategies. And to me, one chip strategy now sticks out as my favourite: LL3, WC TBC. This is what I’ll build my team around.
Barcelona and Bayern have excellent fixtures on each side of MD3, where they face PSG & Arsenal, respectively. At the same time, MCI has a horrendous schedule with only a single plum fixture, AEK (H) in MD3. Additionally, Stuttgart may have the easiest schedule overall, but face ATM (H) in MD3, all of which LL3 elegantly avoids.
The biggest caveat of LL3 is the fact that there are 5 weeks (and a 3-week international break) between MD1 & MD2, greatly increasing injury risk and overall uncertainty. However, this applies to all chip strategies not using Wildcard GW2, which I, due to the fixtures, do not like.
Two important factors
Firstly, a well-functioning team has to have good captaincy candidates for MD1 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Especially on Tuesday, there are few good candidates, with only Mbappé (RMA) standing out. Wednesday and Thursday are easier to manage.
Also, I try to have a maximum of 5 of my 13 outfield players playing on the last day of the Matchday, Thursday for MD1, as I try to avoid difficult decisions about benching a player with a small return (i.e. 5 points).
GOALKEEPERS
The most important thing when selecting goalkeepers is that they play on different days from MD1–7, with MD3 as an exception due to our chip strategy. Here, I can recommend FFBobby’s X post: https://x.com/FFBobby_/status/2096638275175788792.
With the preview team settling on LL3, I’ve picked Bredlow (STU) and Vandevoordt (RBL) for a total of €8.5m. Stuttgart and RB Leipzig play on different days throughout MD1–7 and have their hardest matches against ATM and RMA, respectively, in MD3.
DEFENDERS
In general, when I build the team, I build it in reverse order, picking must-have midfielders and forwards before settling on my defence.
I’ve read very unconfirmed rumours of a rotated PSG squad (https://x.com/LMDPSG/status/2097004648557130141), making me consider staying away from their defence, and their team as a whole, for now. Originally, I had Hakimi (PSG) in the team. I’ll update my team tomorrow before the deadline, with information on PSG being key.
Instead, I pick Gabriel (ARS) as my expensive defender. Arsenal face Napoli in MD1, but then face Lille, while I intend to LL out of the difficult Bayern (A) fixture in MD3, before they face Slavia Praha in MD4. I double up on Arsenal’s defence, going for Calafiori (ARS) for now, offering huge attacking upside despite the obvious rotation risk.
Next, I go for Mittelstädt (STU), who plays LB and is likely to be on penalties for Stuttgart. For €4.5m, he is a steal.
Then I let TheFantasyTool model do the work for me: Altimira (SPO) is projected as the 7th-highest point scorer over the first two Matchdays (https://thefantasytool.com/player-picks-ucl?pos=DEF&n=2), with four of the players above him being from PSG, with now dubious xMins.
I round off the defence by going for a punt with medium risk and huge upside in Nathaniel Brown (BAY). At €4.0m, he could make a mockery of his price, being able to slot in at LB, LW and CAM.
Besides these players, I’ve made the following shortlist in order of my preference with LL3 in mind: Hakimi (PSG), Vagnoman (STU), Nuno Mendes (PSG), Gerard Martín (BAR), Huijsen (RMA), Konsa (AVL), Pinas (TBC), Raum (RBL).
Midfielders
First, I need to decide which Barcelona players I want the most. I can’t see past Raphinha (BAR), playing as the #9 and likely to be on penalties, and he is a lock in my team. I double up, selecting Yamal (BAR) for the best possible, but most expensive, Barcelona attacking double-up.
Next, I need a Bayern mid, and here I opt for Luis Díaz (BAY), who is €1m cheaper than Olise (BAY) while offering almost exactly the same stats.
I also can’t ignore Manchester United’s opening fixture against Sabah (H), and consequently I select their talisman, Bruno Fernandes (MUN), who is a Thursday captaincy shout.
With money invested in premiums in the forward line as well, this leaves little money for the 5th midfield spot, where I opt for Zalazar (SPO), with the highest projected points over the first two Matchdays.
Contenders in order of my preference: Olise (BAY), Vitinha (PSG), Gordon (BAR), Til (PSV), Szoboszlai (LIV), Thauvin (LEN), Cunha (MUN).
Forwards
At first, I wasn’t going to select Kylian Mbappé (RMA), but looking at Tuesday’s match-up, he’s the only real captaincy choice for my team structure, and despite the first two matches not being perfect, he’s a booked transfer in from MD4 onwards. Therefore, I go with the Frenchman.
Next, I can’t overlook Bayern’s first two matches against the Norwegian teams, and I fully expect Kane (BAY) to feast, and consequently go for the Bayern talisman on penalties.
This leaves €5.5m for the last spot, and luckily, Pejcinovic (STU) comes in at €5.0m. I’m currently expecting him to start after an explosive first few games for Stuttgart.
Contenders in order of my preference: Undav (STU), Dembélé (PSG), Mbeumo (MUN), Suárez (SPO), Havertz (ARS), Pepi (PSV).
Team Reveal
Tuesday (C): Mbappé
Wednesday (C): Raphinha or Yamal
Thursday (C): Bruno Fernandes or Kane
Final thoughts and updates
Remember, I’ll update the team around 18:00 CEST on Tuesday, about 45 minutes before the deadline, and I’ll post on X (@AeselFC) when doing so.