UWCL Fantasy Matchday 2: captain picks and best buys
UWCL Fantasy Matchday 2 preview: best buys, captain picks and differentials
UWCL Fantasy Matchday 2 is a round where every transfer should be judged on the next three matchdays, not just this one. Barcelona travel to Roma with the biggest expected-goals number of the round, but the programs behind this week split the field: Manchester City and OL Lyonnes have the steadier runs, while several popular Barcelona and Arsenal assets fade after this round. All projections below come from our model's latest run, pulled today, and every fixture is from the current UWCL league-phase schedule. For the full list, see our UWCL Fantasy player picks.
If you are catching up, last round's analysis is in the UWCL Fantasy Matchday 1 preview, and every article in the series is collected in the UWCL Fantasy preview hub.
Matchday 2 programs: whose next three rounds are worth owning
All 18 clubs play in Matchday 2, so there are no blanks to plan around; the nine fixtures land on 30 September and 1 October. The table is sorted by three-round expected goals (MD2 to MD4), because that is the run you are buying into. 3-round CS is expected clean sheets across the three games, not a percentage.
| Team | Matchday 2 fixture | Win probability | Expected goals | Clean sheet | Program (MD2–MD4) | 3-round xG | 3-round CS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | [A]Roma | 92% | 4.11 | 52% | [A]Roma → [A]HB Køge → [H]Arsenal | 8.95 | 1.28 |
| OL Lyonnes | [H]Chelsea | 66% | 2.28 | 38% | [H]Chelsea → [H]Inter → [A]Juventus | 7.68 | 1.20 |
| Manchester City | [H]Real Madrid | 58% | 2.14 | 30% | [H]Real Madrid → [H]Paris Saint Germain → [A]Inter | 7.30 | 0.92 |
| Bayern München | [A]Benfica | 75% | 2.52 | 47% | [A]Benfica → [H]Real Madrid → [A]Paris Saint Germain | 7.03 | 0.90 |
| Arsenal | [A]Paris FC | 71% | 2.31 | 45% | [A]Paris FC → [H]Benfica → [A]Barcelona | 6.38 | 1.00 |
| Chelsea | [A]OL Lyonnes | 14% | 0.96 | 10% | [A]OL Lyonnes → [H]Roma → [A]BK Häcken | 6.02 | 0.97 |
| Roma | [H]Barcelona | 2% | 0.66 | 2% | [H]Barcelona → [A]Chelsea → [H]Servette | 5.45 | 0.40 |
| Paris Saint Germain | [H]Oud Heverlee Leuven | 81% | 2.79 | 52% | [H]Oud Heverlee Leuven → [A]Manchester City → [H]Bayern München | 5.36 | 0.74 |
| Real Madrid | [A]Manchester City | 20% | 1.20 | 12% | [A]Manchester City → [A]Bayern München → [H]Paris FC | 5.08 | 0.54 |
| HB Køge | [H]Servette | 74% | 2.43 | 47% | [H]Servette → [H]Barcelona → [A]Oud Heverlee Leuven | 4.42 | 0.93 |
| Juventus | [A]BK Häcken | 36% | 1.47 | 22% | [A]BK Häcken → [A]Austria Wien → [H]OL Lyonnes | 4.17 | 0.74 |
| Inter | [A]Austria Wien | 57% | 1.81 | 39% | [A]Austria Wien → [A]OL Lyonnes → [H]Manchester City | 3.87 | 0.49 |
| Benfica | [H]Bayern München | 8% | 0.75 | 8% | [H]Bayern München → [A]Arsenal → [H]Austria Wien | 3.49 | 0.59 |
| Oud Heverlee Leuven | [A]Paris Saint Germain | 6% | 0.65 | 6% | [A]Paris Saint Germain → [A]Servette → [H]HB Køge | 3.44 | 0.57 |
| Paris FC | [H]Arsenal | 11% | 0.81 | 10% | [H]Arsenal → [H]BK Häcken → [A]Real Madrid | 3.34 | 0.59 |
| Servette | [A]HB Køge | 9% | 0.76 | 9% | [A]HB Køge → [H]Oud Heverlee Leuven → [A]Roma | 3.34 | 0.27 |
| BK Häcken | [H]Juventus | 38% | 1.51 | 23% | [H]Juventus → [A]Paris FC → [H]Chelsea | 3.28 | 0.60 |
| Austria Wien | [H]Inter | 19% | 0.95 | 16% | [H]Inter → [H]Juventus → [A]Benfica | 2.67 | 0.49 |
Barcelona own the best run in the game at 8.95 expected goals and 1.28 expected clean sheets: [A]Roma → [A]HB Køge → [H]Arsenal. This round at Roma is the peak (4.11 xG, 52% clean-sheet chance, 92% win probability), and the home game against Arsenal on Matchday 4 is the one to plan around rather than to fear.
OL Lyonnes are second on 7.68 xG with 1.20 expected clean sheets: [H]Chelsea → [H]Inter → [A]Juventus. Two home games in a row is the reason Lyon defenders are worth holding. Manchester City follow on 7.30 xG, also with two home games first: [H]Real Madrid → [H]Paris Saint Germain → [A]Inter. Bayern München are close behind on 7.03: [A]Benfica → [H]Real Madrid → [A]Paris Saint Germain.
The team to buy a round early is Chelsea. Their Matchday 2 trip to OL Lyonnes is the hardest fixture any big side has this round (10% clean-sheet chance), but [H]Roma and [A]BK Häcken follow. That is why Chelsea players appear below as "buy next round" rather than as buys today. Exact kick-off times are on the UWCL Fantasy schedule.
Best goalkeepers for UWCL Fantasy Matchday 2
Gemma Font (4.5m, BAR) is the goalkeeper move of the round. She is in our predicted Barcelona XI, owned by only 1%, and her program is [A]Roma → [A]HB Køge → [H]Arsenal. Her points run 4.0 → 3.8 → 3.0, a 10.8 total that is second among keepers over three rounds. The Roma game is the best clean-sheet spot of the week, and the Arsenal game on MD4 is the one weak link.
Ayaka Yamashita (4.0m, MCI) is the cheapest keeper worth holding. Manchester City go [H]Real Madrid → [H]Paris Saint Germain → [A]Inter, and her line is flat at 3.6 → 3.6 → 3.4. A flat program means you can buy her and stop thinking about the position. Ena Mahmutovic (5.5m, FCB) (16% owned) tops the keepers this round at 4.1 at Benfica, then drops to 3.2 and 3.3 against Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain on [A]Benfica → [H]Real Madrid → [A]Paris Saint Germain.
The one to plan for is Hannah Hampton (5.5m, CHE). She projects only 2.9 in Lyon, but 2.9 → 4.1 → 4.2 gives her the best three-round total of any goalkeeper (11.2) on [A]OL Lyonnes → [H]Roma → [A]BK Häcken. If you are buying one keeper to keep, bring Hampton in ahead of Matchday 3 rather than now.
Best defenders: premium, budget and one-round options
| Player | Club | Price | Owned | MD2 | MD3 | MD4 | 3-round total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martina Fernández | BAR | 4.0m | 1% | 6.6 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 15.9 |
| Selma Bacha | OLL | 5.0m | 24% | 4.3 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 13.0 |
| Wendie Renard | OLL | 6.0m | 36% | 4.1 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 12.8 |
| Alex Greenwood | MCI | 6.0m | 22% | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 12.1 |
| Ellie Carpenter | CHE | 5.0m | 2% | 2.8 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 13.5 |
| Tara Elimbi | PSG | 4.5m | 0% | 5.9 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 11.3 |
| Esmee Brugts | BAR | 5.5m | 13% | 5.7 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 11.7 |
Martina Fernández (4.0m, BAR) is the standout pick of the whole preview. She projects 6.6, the highest of any player in Matchday 2, costs the minimum defender price, and only 1% of managers own her. It is not a one-week buy: [A]Roma → [A]HB Køge → [H]Arsenal takes her 6.6 → 5.0 → 4.3, a 15.9 total that is the best of any defender over three rounds. She is the budget defender of the round and the best-value hold in the game.
Selma Bacha (5.0m, OLL) is the hold for the Lyon run: [H]Chelsea → [H]Inter → [A]Juventus, scoring 4.3 → 4.8 → 3.9 for 13.0. Wendie Renard (6.0m, OLL) gives almost the same line (4.1 → 4.8 → 3.9) for 1.0m more, so if you want one Lyon defender, Bacha is the cheaper route. Pairing a Lyon defender with a Barcelona defender covers the two best clean-sheet programs in the game.
Alex Greenwood (6.0m, MCI) is the steadiest Manchester City option: [H]Real Madrid → [H]Paris Saint Germain → [A]Inter and a flat 4.0 → 4.1 → 4.0. Her three rounds are close to identical, so she is a set-and-forget pick.
Here the round and three-round rankings disagree. Tara Elimbi (4.5m, PSG) projects 5.9 against Oud Heverlee Leuven this round, second among defenders, and is owned by almost nobody. But [H]Oud Heverlee Leuven → [A]Manchester City → [H]Bayern München drops her to 2.4 and 3.0, so she is a one-round buy only: sell her again before Matchday 3. Ellie Carpenter (5.0m, CHE) is the opposite case at 2.8 → 5.5 → 5.2 on [A]OL Lyonnes → [H]Roma → [A]BK Häcken, the second-best defender total over three rounds (13.5). If you are buying one defender to keep, Carpenter is the better three-round asset, but bring her in for Matchday 3 rather than into this round's Lyon trip. Esmee Brugts (5.5m, BAR) is the other one-rounder: 5.7 → 3.2 → 2.8, and we project her for just over 50 minutes.
Best midfielders for UWCL Fantasy Matchday 2
| Player | Club | Price | Owned | MD2 | MD3 | MD4 | 3-round total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mariona Caldentey | ARS | 8.0m | 20% | 5.9 | 5.4 | 3.9 | 15.2 |
| Linda Caicedo | RMA | 8.5m | 2% | 4.0 | 4.9 | 5.8 | 14.7 |
| Vicky López | BAR | 7.5m | 9% | 6.5 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 14.4 |
| Yui Hasegawa | MCI | 6.5m | 15% | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 14.2 |
| Georgia Stanway | ARS | 6.5m | 14% | 5.3 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 13.7 |
| Anaële Le Moguédec | PAR | 5.5m | 3% | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 10.8 |
| Sjoeke Nüsken | CHE | 6.0m | 0% | 3.2 | 5.2 | 4.2 | 12.6 |
Mariona Caldentey (8.0m, ARS) is the best midfielder to own over the next three matchdays. [A]Paris FC → [H]Benfica → [A]Barcelona gives her 5.9 → 5.4 → 3.9, a 15.2 total that no other midfielder beats. The dip on Matchday 4 is the trip to Barcelona, and two strong rounds before it are enough to justify the buy. Georgia Stanway (6.5m, ARS) is the cheaper way into the same Arsenal run (5.3 → 4.8 → 3.6).
Vicky López (7.5m, BAR) has the higher ceiling this round at 6.5, second only to Martina Fernández, and she is owned by just 9%. Her program [A]Roma → [A]HB Køge → [H]Arsenal runs 6.5 → 4.1 → 3.8. The first fixture carries most of her value, but two decent rounds behind it make her a hold rather than a one-rounder.
Yui Hasegawa (6.5m, MCI) is the steady option: [H]Real Madrid → [H]Paris Saint Germain → [A]Inter and 4.6 → 4.8 → 4.8. She is one of the most secure starters in our UWCL predicted lineups.
The hidden gem is Linda Caicedo (8.5m, RMA). Only 2% own her, and her line rises 4.0 → 4.9 → 5.8 as Real Madrid go [A]Manchester City → [A]Bayern München → [H]Paris FC. The Paris FC home game on MD4 is where she peaks. Her rounds get better, so buying before the run starts is the whole point.
For a budget midfielder, Anaële Le Moguédec (5.5m, PAR) is projected for around 85 minutes and scores 3.6 → 3.8 → 3.4 on [H]Arsenal → [H]BK Häcken → [A]Real Madrid. Sjoeke Nüsken (6.0m, CHE) is the Chelsea buy-next-round midfielder: 3.2 → 5.2 → 4.2 on [A]OL Lyonnes → [H]Roma → [A]BK Häcken, and barely owned.
Best forwards: the Shaw case
| Player | Club | Price | Owned | MD2 | MD3 | MD4 | 3-round total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khadija Shaw | MCI | 9.5m | 27% | 5.1 | 5.4 | 5.8 | 16.3 |
| Alessia Russo | ARS | 10.5m | 61% | 5.5 | 5.4 | 3.7 | 14.6 |
| Pernille Harder | FCB | 7.5m | 27% | 4.8 | 5.3 | 4.1 | 14.2 |
| Melchie Dumornay | OLL | 6.5m | 13% | 4.6 | 5.2 | 4.1 | 13.9 |
| Lauren Hemp | MCI | 7.0m | 6% | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 13.0 |
| Momoko Tanikawa | FCB | 5.0m | 2% | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 10.5 |
Khadija Shaw (9.5m, MCI) has the best three-round total of any player in UWCL Fantasy at 16.3, and her line rises 5.1 → 5.4 → 5.8 as Manchester City go [H]Real Madrid → [H]Paris Saint Germain → [A]Inter. Buy her now: the run starts this round and gets better each week.
Alessia Russo (10.5m, ARS) is owned by 61% and is a hold for two more rounds: [A]Paris FC → [H]Benfica → [A]Barcelona runs 5.5 → 5.4 → 3.7. The Barcelona trip on MD4 is when to reconsider, not now.
Melchie Dumornay (6.5m, OLL) is the value forward for the Lyon run: [H]Chelsea → [H]Inter → [A]Juventus, 4.6 → 5.2 → 4.1, for 13.9. That is close to Harder at a lower price. Pernille Harder (7.5m, FCB) gives 4.8 → 5.3 → 4.1 on [A]Benfica → [H]Real Madrid → [A]Paris Saint Germain, with the Real Madrid home game as her best round.
Differential and budget options: Lauren Hemp (7.0m, MCI) (6% owned) rises 4.2 → 4.3 → 4.5 on the same City run as Shaw. Momoko Tanikawa (5.0m, FCB) is the budget forward, projected for about 70 minutes and scoring 3.6 → 3.6 → 3.3 on [A]Benfica → [H]Real Madrid → [A]Paris Saint Germain.
Who to captain in UWCL Fantasy Matchday 2
1. Martina Fernández (4.0m, BAR) tops the model for the round at 6.6, and a defender captain gives you the clean-sheet chance at Roma as well as her own attacking threat. At 1% ownership she is also a genuine differential captain. Her program ([A]Roma → [A]HB Køge → [H]Arsenal) keeps her in the conversation for Matchday 3 too.
2. Vicky López (7.5m, BAR) is practically level at 6.5 in the same fixture. If you prefer an attacker's ceiling on the armband, she is the pick.
3. Mariona Caldentey (8.0m, ARS) (5.9 at Paris FC) is the safe third option. Caroline Graham Hansen (6.0) scores well too, but we project her for around 50 minutes.
Plan ahead: Khadija Shaw is the one premium who captains well in all three rounds (5.1 → 5.4 → 5.8), and that is a strong reason to own her. On Matchday 3 Ellie Carpenter edges the model at 5.5, just ahead of Shaw, Alessia Russo and Mariona Caldentey on 5.4. On Matchday 4, Manuela Giugliano leads at 6.6 against Servette.
Who to sell before Matchday 2
Cata Coll (6.0m, BAR) is the clearest sale. 60% of managers own her, but our predicted Barcelona XI has Gemma Font in goal and Coll projects 0.0 in every round from Matchday 2 to Matchday 6. Why now: the switch to Font starts earning immediately, in Barcelona's best fixture of the three.
Aitana Bonmatí (10.5m, BAR) is 53% owned. We project her for about 50 minutes, and her line is 3.0 → 2.7 → 2.6 on [A]Roma → [A]HB Køge → [H]Arsenal. Why now: this is Barcelona's best fixture of the run and she still projects only 3.0, while Vicky López is 3.0m cheaper and projects 6.5.
Ada Stolsmo Hegerberg (9.0m, OLL) is 21% owned and projects 2.6 → 3.1 → 2.5 with around 40 minutes. Why now: Lyon's two home games start this round, and those points are projected to go to Melchie Dumornay (4.6 this round) for 2.5m less.
Ona Batlle (6.0m, ARS) is 29% owned. The trip to Paris FC is a fine fixture and 4.2 is a decent score, but 4.2 → 2.3 → 1.4 shows what follows. Why now: Martina Fernández outscores her this round as well as in the next two, so there is no score to wait for.
Ewa Pajor (10.5m, BAR) is the 64%-owned case where you can wait a round. 5.4 at Roma is a good score, but she falls to 3.2 and 3.0 afterwards, and we project her for around 55 minutes. Keep her for Roma and move her on before Matchday 3, when that transfer can go to Khadija Shaw or Melchie Dumornay.
Matchday 2 transfer summary
In: Martina Fernández, Gemma Font, Khadija Shaw, Mariona Caldentey. Watch for Matchday 3: Ellie Carpenter, Hannah Hampton, Linda Caicedo. Out: Cata Coll, Aitana Bonmatí, Ada Stolsmo Hegerberg, Ona Batlle, with Ewa Pajor after this round. To test a squad across the next three rounds, use the optimal teams for UWCL Fantasy, and check the UWCL market probabilities before the deadline. New to the site? Our fantasy guides explain how the projections work.
FAQ
Who should I captain in UWCL Fantasy Matchday 2?
Martina Fernández tops the model at 6.6 points at Roma, with Vicky López level at 6.5 in the same match. Mariona Caldentey (5.9) is the safe third option.
Which budget defenders are best for UWCL Fantasy Matchday 2?
Martina Fernández at 4.0m is the best defender both this round (6.6) and over three rounds (15.9). Tara Elimbi (4.5m) is a strong one-round option against Oud Heverlee Leuven.
Should I sell Cata Coll before UWCL Fantasy Matchday 2?
Yes. Our predicted lineups have Gemma Font in the Barcelona goal and Coll projects 0.0 from Matchday 2 to Matchday 6. Font is 1.5m cheaper and projects 4.0 this round.
Who is the best differential for UWCL Fantasy Matchday 2?
Linda Caicedo is owned by 2% and rises 4.0 → 4.9 → 5.8 over the next three matchdays. Martina Fernández (1% owned) is the biggest differential this round.
Which team has the best UWCL Fantasy fixtures for Matchdays 2 to 4?
Barcelona, with 8.95 expected goals and 1.28 expected clean sheets from [A]Roma → [A]HB Køge → [H]Arsenal. OL Lyonnes and Manchester City follow.
This preview was written by TheFantasyTool AI.