⚡ Round 4 Deadline Alert – FootballCoin
- R4 Deadline: Tuesday, 3rd of November, 22:00
- Roster Constraint: 11 Starters + 5 Substitutes
- Target Contest: Free Tour Champions League-R4 Contest ($0 cost, 2.700 XFC rewards)
And just as some of the top clubs in Europe are considering how they’ll be moving through the final stages of the UCL, others are already planning to change management and desperately considering how to move into the transfer market in the winter.
What does this mean exactly for your Round 4 Champions League fantasy football team? Plenty! You’ll need to make quick, smart decisions and kill some of your darlings in the process.
Looking to win your UCL fantasy football contests? Here are the players I think will help you do it ahead of Round 4. I’m basing my picks on a decade’s worth of fantasy football guide articles, along with my own interpretation of current stats.
Once you’ve absorbed, or completely dismissed, the information, you can take your shot at creating the ideal fantasy football team. The best way to do that is in FootballCoin. The game’s entirely free to play and will reward top users daily.
My R4 Fantasy Squad Reveal
There’s no reason to avoid a 4-4-2 formation given the attacking talent available and the recent UCL goal-scoring record.
Domestic form is one thing, but I’m guiding my choices mainly by recent UCL stats. Naturally, I’m also considering budget, looking for players who are, for the most part, cheap or easily available in games like FootballCoin.
Goalkeeper
Pierluigi Gollini (AS Roma – 3* in FootballCoin) – As a fantasy football strategist, you want a goalkeeper who looks scared to face but still keeps a clean sheet. Gollini isn’t just a goalie in top form. He’s not just confident after a string of strong performances. He’ll face Manchester United, a team that shoots plenty of times over 90 minutes and rarely scores.
Defenders
Givairo Read (Feyenoord – 1* and free in FootballCoin) – The young Dutchman currently ranks third for successful tackles in the UCL. Round 4 opponents, Internazionale, meanwhile, have struggled in European competitions against teams who defend deep. It’s hard to argue against getting this 20-year-old, still 1* rated player.
Abdukodir Khusanov (Manchester City – 2* & free w/lease in FootballCoin) – The young defender hasn’t been getting much game time in the EPL recently. With the result against RB Leipzig judged as a foregone conclusion, Khusanov should start and will want to make the best of his 90 minutes. Smart pick!
Francisco Garcia (Betis Sevilla – 4* in FootballCoin) – Most recently, players who once represented Real Madrid have begun to truly shine only after they’ve left the Santiago Bernabéu. The wisdom holds true for Fran Garcia. The left-back will slightly stress your budget, but recent stats in the UCL (tackles, interceptions, clearances) make him look like a great pick for Round 4.
David Hancko (Atletico Madrid – 2* & free w/lease in FootballCoin) – Get him while he’s this affordable and playing just about every single minute for Diego Simeone‘s side!
Midfielders
Niccolo Pisilli (AS Roma – 2* & free w/lease in FootballCoin) – If Man. United’s game against Como taught me that this English side is vulnerable against pacey, intelligent midfielders. That’s your cue to consider Niccolo Pisilli. He’s a young starting player for another exciting Italian side. Meanwhile, United’s squad is, essentially, unchanged since the loss to Como.
Scott McTominay (Napoli – 4* in FootballCoin) – Scott McTominay has certainly got heart. We know that because he just had surgery on it, came back nearly immediately and is, once again, Napoli’s best player. The away game to Porto could be Massimiliano Allegri’s final Neapolitan dance. But, you can bet that the Scottish attacking midfielder will go down swinging.
Jens Hauge (Bodo/Glimt – 2* & free w/lease in FootballCoin) – What does it take to, finally and fully, trust a young player when assembling a fantasy football squad? Isn’t being consistent over several campaigns enough? It ought to be! Hauge is a talented, but especially highly determined midfielder. Playing against Lille might just be exactly the type of game in which he thrives.
Ibrahim Mbaye (Aston Villa 0 1* and free in FootballCoin) – Not only will picking Mbaye to start for your fantasy football team make the whole game more exciting, but it’ll also save you a lot of trouble worrying about your budget. Besides, Mbaye‘s stats in the UCL are solid – 2 assists, strong passing, a winner in all the matches he’s played in the UCL. Mbaye is simply the right choice!
Forwards
Erling Haaland (Manchester City – 5* in FootballCoin) – One of the more budget-draining striker choices in FootballCoin, but certainly one of the most consistent for points. Travelling to play former club RB Leipzig should motivate the Norwegian to extend his goalscoring record.
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid – 5* in FootballCoin) – Forgive me for being so obvious, or for not having more care about your budget. However, Real Madrid’s visit to Athens feels like the perfect occasion for Kylian Mbappe to get one over whoever stopped him from earning his much-coveted Ballon d’Or. What you’re looking for, after all, are points if you’re going to win in UCL fantasy football.
3 Must-Have “Sleeper Picks” for R4
Carlos Augusto (Defender) – The Brazilian tends to either score the decisive goal that saves Cristian Chivu’s team, or get the red card that buries it. All that adds up to a player you should have on your radar. Besides, he’s rated at only 2* in FootballCoin for now!
Nathan Ngoy (Lille – Defender) – He’s young, but has been playing for the Belgium national team for a while. He’s talented, but prone to mistakes. And he’s able to play in a bunch of roles, often grabbing a lot of points for the fantasy football managers who pick him.
Maghnes Akliouche (PSG – Striker) – Squad rotation can be great for both PSG’s lesser-used players and fantasy football enthusiasts. Akliouche’s stats suggest he should be a real attacking threat against Villarreal if, as expected, he gets the chance to start. Keep him on your radar!
