Are you looking to finally win your Champions League fantasy football event? Ahead of the semifinals, these are the players that you need on your team.
The good news, of course, is that there are only four teams to choose from. The bad news is that all the players involved are looking to make a splash, and, besides, squad selection issues could throw a wrench in the works.
I’ve assembled a brief list of all the players who should get you points. I’ve also looked at the player cards you might wish to avoid.
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These Are the Players You Need for the Champions League Fantasy Football Semifinals
PSG vs Bayern
Is this how Luis Enrique wanted things to play out all along? Paris Saint-Germain failed to impress at the start of the season. Now, with a clean bill of health, the team’s playing just as impressively as it did last year, when it won the UCL.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munchen’s done well to reach this phase. The Bavarians’ performance against Real Madrid in the Quarter-Finals, I admit, surprised me.
Still, I think PSG is the team to back ahead of this entertaining game.
Let’s start with the players you absolutely need in order to win. In my opinion, these are Vitinha and Neves. They’re not the flashiest midfielders. However, their passing stats and ability to create an attacking threat are sensational.
I feel the same about Mendes. His defensive stats and overall point ranking across this season suggest he is PSG’s secret weapon.
Hakimi and Marquinhos are fine if you can afford them. Pacho is good, but not an essential pick.
Finally, should you go for the whole triple threat of Doue, Dembele and Kvaratskhelia? No! That’s overkill. Choose Doue if you want a budget choice! Pick Dembele if you can afford him. Kvaratskhelia is sensational, but could be the odd man out if you’re playing a 5-4-1 formation.
Atlético vs. Arsenal
Let’s also look at Atletico Madrid taking on Arsenal. It might be morale and fitness that decides this encounter. However, it’s unlikely that the first leg will show us a clear winner.
I’m backing a draw in this one, or a narrow Atleti win. This means that Diego Simeone’s tireless defensive players will play a big role.
What Le Normand, Ruggeri and Molina lack in finesse, they make up for in effort. They’re essential picks for this one.
Oblak should be back from injury. Even if he is not, he or his understudy, Musso, will prove very important.
There are some questions about what the midfield line will look like. However, Cardoso and Koke are good picks. Llorente has been excellent, but there’s a risk he’ll start on the bench.
Griezmann will be involved in just about every Atleti attacking play. But is the very talented Alvarez worth picking? Only if you think he’s going to score. Otherwise, he is unlikely to see much of the ball.
Arsenal’s a tired team on the brink of greatness. Can the team grab this opportunity?
We’re likely to see a good display from Rice, Saliba, Gabriel and Odegaard. That nearly always happens. White can excel in a game where his aggressiveness can be an asset.
Raya is a strong pick, although you can never predict goalkeeper errors from him.
Despite the criticism, Gyokeres is a serviceable striker in these kinds of games. However, Atleti’s defenders look ready to mark him throughout the game.
This means that Saka and Martinelli could be Mikel Arteta’s secret weapons. Will they succeed? Possibly, but playing in the harsh atmosphere of the Metropolitano could play a part.
The Players You Should Avoid for the Semifinals First Leg
Ruiz is a great midfielder. However, recent injuries make me think that there are better options out there. I also think that while goalie Safonov can rise to the occasion, his occasional mistakes make it seem that you can just choose someone else.
I like Lenglet‘s commitment. But I think Arsenal’s attackers may have the speed and skill to make this an uncomfortable game for them. Alvarez is an excellent striker, but unless he scores, he’s unlikely to get a lot of points here.
Hincapie is also a good defender. However, we’ve seen him lose his head before, and Atleti players will try to exploit it.
