UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 11

The next round of Champions League is close. We take a look at the top picks for Matchday 11. In addition, we take into consideration team and player form, fixture difficulty, minutes, fitness, heat maps and other factors to help us pick out the best options.

Taking a look at the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 11 could be vital to both getting back on track or maintaining those successful starts to the campaign. We have a new set of fixtures; this can indicate different assets or highlight players even more in terms of bringing them in.

Goalkeepers – Ederson

The first of two games in Matchday 11 starts with Real Madrid at home against Manchester City. The match commences at 8pm UK time. This means that managers will have access to the line-ups before the deadline. Mangers can check the line-ups and then make their transfers up until kick-off.

Manchester City will have a lot of motivation going into this. One of the factors backing their hunger to win will be the fact that their opponents beat them in the last campaign. Another important consideration backing Manchester City’s motivation is that they are yet to win the prestigious tournament.

The away side will no doubt go into this tie as favourites, so investing in their assets could be key to longevity and limit the amount of transfers managers need to shape their team in the next round. Manchester City also play on the first day which means if their players fail to return, managers can switch them out for bench players on the Wednesday.

Manchester City have sustained some of the best defensive stats in their domestic league this season so the potential for a clean sheet will always be there. Although rotation at the back seems likely, one player who avoids that is Ederson (€6m).

Although struggling to keep clean sheets domestically, Ederson has managed an impressive five clean sheets in eight Champions League games. This is already an improvement on his three clean sheets from 11 games last campaign. Taking everything into account, Ederson makes the top picks for Matchday 11.

Mike Maignan

The second game to be played in Matchday 11 sees two titans of Italian football face off. AC Milan will take on rivals Inter at home in the first leg. This means that if our players blank in the game, we cannot sub them out.

We also do not get to see the line-ups for second game before making our transfers. This indicates that picking nailed players from both teams could be a wise move for managers to make. It could be very difficult to pick a winner in this one but when in doubt, back the home side.

Milan have impressed for most of the campaign but it also comes with the rise of the Italian teams as they dominate most of Europe’s competitions this season towards the latter stages. Milan’s opponents, Inter, have shown inconsistencies lately.

To reinforce Inter’s troubled form, in their last 10 matches in all competitions they have won four, lost three and drawn three. At this stage in the Champions League, many would expect much better overall form for a semi-finalist.

AC Milan are considerably better at home. In fact, in their last 10 home games in all competitions they have banked six clean sheets which is double what their away record is in the same period (three). Because of this it could be investing in Mike Maignan (€5.4m).

A good example of just how good Mike Maignan is is that in his 21/22 domestic league season he picked up a whopping 17 clean sheets from 32 matches. Maignan also bagged two clean sheets in his last three Champions League games.

At a reasonably good price, a good home fixture and proven quality between the sticks, Mike Maignan has to be considered amongst the top picks for Matchday 11.

Andrea Onana

Inter face rivals AC Milan in Matchday 11. Once again, this means that managers will not be able to make transfers based on their line-ups as the deadline will have already passed. Because of this, selecting nailed players could be the best move.

Inter may be playing away from home in the first leg, but their record away from home is surprisingly good. In their last 10 away matches in all competitions they have lost just twice which makes their assets more appealing than they would have been.

The Italian side have the ability to grind out results and constrict their opposition in front of goal. This can be seen by the fact they picked up a clean sheet in three of their last four Champions League matches. That indicates the investment of their backline could be beneficial.

There is plenty of rotation at the back for Inter. However one played nailed into the starting line-up is Andre Onana (€5m). He comes in with the cheapest price-tag of any of the semi-final goalkeepers. Onana may have collected just seven clean sheets in 21 league matches this season but in Europe he has banked six in his 10 games.

Taking into account his price, away form and ability to keep clean sheets in the big games, Andre Onana should be a serious consideration into the top picks for Matchday 11.

Defenders – Ruben Dias

Manchester City face Real Madrid away from home in their first leg tie. It’s a huge bonus for managers as they get to check the line-ups before making their transfers ahead of the deadline. It is also worth noting that Manchester City go into the semi-finals as favourites, so selecting their players good be a good long term plan.

Whilst maintaining some of the best defensive stats in the Premier League this season, Manchester City go into any given game with good clean sheet potential. Their upcoming opponents Real Madrid will be tough but the Spanish side have regularly shown inconsistencies in their domestic campaign this season.

Finding a reliable way into the Manchester City backline can be tough and finding an asset with attacking potential even tougher but Ruben Dias (€5.7m) could offer both of those. The centre-back is nailed into the Manchester City defence with next to no chance of being rotated, especially in a game this important.

Ruben Dias also offers threat from set pieces. The Portuguese international loves to drive into the box on corners and free kicks, increasing his chances of getting an attacking return. Dias has already managed to score a goal in his current Champions League campaign.

In the seven UCL matches Dias has played so far he has banked at least six points in six of his matches. His biggest return came in Matchday 1 where he scored and kept a clean sheet. As well as this, the centre-back has also produced six or more ball recoveries in four of his European games, topping up his points tally.

John Stones

Manchester City may face a challenging away against Real Madrid in Matchday 11, but they have proven that they can keep clean sheets in the Champions League. They have picked up six clean sheets in their current campaign which is a clear indicator of their defensive potential.

Again, finding a reliable way into the Manchester City backline could be a tough task but there is one other play who could offer exactly that. John Stones (€5.1m) has become an integral part of manager Pep Guardiola’s core team.

The in-game defender has become versatile for his side. Stones has been used in both a centre-back and central midfield role which only boosts his appeal for UCL Fantasy managers. Similar to his teammate Ruben Dias, Stones can be a huge goal threat from set pieces.

A good example of his attacking threat is that in the five Champions League games he has played so far, Stones has bagged both a goal and an assist. Overall, in the same period, Stones has failed to return a significant amount of points in just one of his European matches so far.

Stones comes in at a fantastic price-tag considering his goal threat and reliability in terms of minutes. Because of that and his teams strong defensive numbers, he forces his way into the top picks for Matchday 11.

Theo Hernandez

AC Milan have a game against Inter next up in their massive semi final clash. Defensively, Milan have shown some questionable defensive performances all season. However, in their last 10 matches they have managed to claim a clean sheet five of their games.

What is even more significant is that Milan have managed six clean sheets from their 10 Champions League matches so far. This indicates that when it comes to big games, they tend be a lot more successful defensively.

At the time of writing AC Milan are playing with a back four but have shown that in some games they have the structural flexibility to play with a back-three. Interestingly, the last time they faced Inter, they played with the said wing-back system.

When and if playing with a back-three, AC Milan’s wing-backs can get into some of the most dangerous positions on the pitch. This in turn gives their wing-backs a much better chance of securing an attacking return.

Whether it is a back-three or back-four, one player has shown he can be a constant threat. Theo Hernandez (€5.9m) could and should be one of the standout defensive picks of the Matchday. His season heat map below highlights his potential.

We can see from the heatmap above that Theo Hernandez spends most of his time attacking the oppositions half. We can also see that the full-back has heavy positioning in the opponents box, meaning he has a better chance of picking up goal contributions.

Theo Hernandez has proven capable of both goals and assists this campaign, securing three of each in Serie A and another two assists in his current Champions League season. In the nine matches he has played in Europe the full-back has claimed more than five points in six of his games.

Federico Dimarco

We already know by now that Inter face rivals AC Milan away from home in Matchday 11. Although away from home we have also already seen that Inter have lost just two of their last 10 matches in all competitions.

The above makes the Inter assets much more appealing, especially in a game where it could be a tight contest without a clear favourite. Inter always play with a back-three system. This gives their wing-backs the freedom to advance into some of the most dangerous positions on the pitch.

The Inter wing-backs have both clean sheet and attacking potential and one of them is Ferderico Dimarco. The Italian comes in with an excellent value for money price-tag of €4.6m. This type of price-tag can help enable the more pricier players within our teams.

Although there has been major rotation with the Inter wing-backs, Dimarco has started five out of their last six matches in all competitions. In addition, he has also started Inter’s last three Champions League games, providing assurance in terms of minutes moving forward.

We can see from Dimarco’s heatmap above that he loves to advance forward, spending most of his time in the opponents half. He also gets into the opponents box often which increases his chances of an attacking return.

Dimarco has bagged three goals and two assists this season in Serie A. Interestingly, in his last four games in all competitions he has produced a goal and two assists. The Italian has also picked up five returns between six and 12 points in five of his six Champions League starts. Because of everything mentioned, Dimarco eases his way into the top picks for Matchday 11.

Denzel Dumfries

Inter’s wing-back system continues to pour out some great options. Because of their positioning, wing-backs can be one of the best assets in the game. Their clean sheet potential is only one of their routes to points.

Another of their wing-backs to consider is Denzel Dumfries (€5.3m). The Dutchman has played just two of Inter’s last four matches in all competitions. What is significant is that he has started the last three Champions League games. This suggests his lack of minutes recently could be just be rests.

Dumfries has shown huge goal threat in his most recent International tournaments for Netherlands. He bagged two goals in four matches during his Euros campaign and another goal and two assists in his five World Cup matches. The wing-back also created two assists in his first Euros qualifying game.

Dumfries season heatmap is probably one of the most exciting in world football in terms of his position. Not only does he position himself in the opponent’s half more than any other European wing-back, but he also has heavy positioning in the opponents box, similar to an advanced attacker.

Inter could have good clean sheet potential this week and combined with his attacking threat, Denzel Dumfries simply has to be considered in the top picks for Matchday 11.

Midfielders – Kevin De Bruyne

Manchester City come up against Real Madrid next. One biggest issues with Manchester City is rotation. Finding a reliable attacker in terms of minutes has always been a difficult task. However, managers will be able to make their transfers based on the line-ups before the deadline.

In imperious form, the English side have accumulated nine wins in their last 10 matches in all competitions, remaining unbeaten. This is already an early indicator of their potential going into any given game.

Their opponents, Real Madrid should be feared. Although that is the case their defensive line has been nowhere near convincing, especially recently. An example of this is in their last three matches they have conceded six goals, two goals per game.

One of their most potent attackers is Kevin De Bruyne (€10.5m). The Belgian has played a massive part in Manchester City’s success over the seasons. In his last domestic campaign the midfielder collected 15 goals and eight assists. This totalled to 23 returns in 30 matches.

This season, in the league, Kevin De Bruyne picked up where he left off. So far, he has managed to bag seven goals and a huge 16 assists, accumulating to 23 returns in 29 matches. The midfield maestro has maintained some fantastic form and that can be seen in his most recent matches.

In De Bruyne’s last 10 matches in all competitions he has bagged five goals and nine assists, averaging more than one attacking return per game. Because of this, Manchester City’s relentless attack and Real Madrid’s inconsistent defence, Kevin De Bruyne is an easy addition to the top picks for Matchday 11.

Jack Grealish

The Manchester City attack should be deemed as heavily investable for Matchday 11. What is even more interesting is their recent head-to-head record against Real Madrid. Ignoring the results, Manchester City have scored two or more goals in four of their last five matches against the Spanish side.

To reinforce the appeal of the Manchester City offensive line even more, in their last 10 matches in all competitions they have netted a monstrous 35 goals. This averages out at a massive 3.5 goals per game. If that wasn’t enough Manchester City have also found the net 25 times in their 10 Champions League matches.

Although managers can check the Manchester City line-up before making transfers it could still be wise to include players we know are nailed in terms of minutes. This gives some assurance that they will also start in the second leg.

One of the most reliable Manchester City assets in terms of minutes is Jack Grealish (€7.9m). The winger has started to cement his position in the starting 11 which only benefits managers who choose to select him.

In the 26 league games Grealish has played he has produced five assists and six goals, showing multiple points to routes. He has also bagged four assists and two goals in his last 10 starts. With increasing confidence, increasing minutes and increasing output, Jack Grealish should be heavily considered amongst the top picks for Matchday 11.

Vincius Junior

Real Madrid come up against, arguably, the best team in football in the upcoming round. That may be the case but the Spanish side are the most decorated side in Europe, suggesting they know how to win the big games against big teams.

The Spanish side have had their recent slip ups but have still claimed seven wins in their last 10 matches in all competitions. Some could argue that their domestic league form shouldn’t be consider as a factor because their performances are enhanced in Europe.

Real Madrid won both of their knockout ties against Chelsea and Liverpool comfortably, racking up an impressive 10 goals in the process. Investing in their frontline is absolutely essential at this point and because of that Vincius Junior (€10.3m) should be highly considered.

The Brazilian has become one of the most exciting attackers in Europe over the last several seasons. In his 21/22 league campaign Vinicius scored 17 goals and 10 assists, banking 27 goal contributions in 35 games and showing multiple routes to points.

This season, Junior’s fantastic form has continued, netting 10 goals and mustering up nine assists in La Liga. The form that needs to be emphasised however, is that of his current UCL campaign. Junior has managed six goals in five assists in 10 games, resulting in more attacking returns than games played.

Vinicius Junior’s brilliant UCL Form has seen him collect a massive 82 points in Champions League Fantasy so far. In fact, he has only failed to return just once in his current season. Vincius Junior should be a priority for everyone in Matchday 11.

Nicolo Barella

Inter face rivals AC Milan away from home in Matchday 11. Although away, Inter have lost just two of their last away games in all competitions. In that same period they also bagged 13 goal, averaging 1.3 goals scored per game.

Although Inter have suffered spells of struggling to score goals, they scored three goals in three of their last four matches in all competitions. This good be a great indicator that the Italian side have found a good run of scoring form.

Finding attacking assets from Inter could be a huge concern considering the relentless rotation up front. However, one man nailed into the attack is Nicolo Barella (€6.8m). The Italian international has been a key player for his side, both domestically and in Europe over the years.

In his 21/22 domestic league season, Barella notched up a whopping 12 assists and scored three times. This season the midfielder has picked up five goals and six assists, showing that he has multiple routes to points.

Barella isn’t shy of Champions League output either. The Italian bagged a huge 12-point return in Matchday 4 due to his goal, six ball recoveries and player of the match award. His recent UCL form should be emphasised as well. Barella secured two back-to-back eight point returns in his last two games, scoring a goal in both.

Taking into account his price-tag, security of minutes, multiple route to points and his recent Champions League form, Nicolo Barella squeezes his way into the top picks for Matchday 11.

Brahim Diaz

AC Milan have one of the biggest games of the season in Matchday 11. The Italian side have proven worthy of their semi-final position and there can be no doubts about that. Milan have lost just two of their last 10 matches, indicating good form.

Inter lay ahead for Milan who have shown defensive inconsistencies all season. One example of this is the fact they conceded three goals against Benfica in the previous round. There is potential there for a Milan attacker and it could just be Brahim Diaz.

As the tournament progresses it is proving increasingly difficult to find budget players but the midfielder offers exactly that. Diaz comes in at a hugely appealing price of €6.2m. This type of price-tag massively helps to enable the more pricier players within our squads.

Diaz has become a mainstay in the Milan attack as of late. Not only has he started all three of their last matches but he also started their last four Champions League games. In those four starts he bagged a goal and a player of the match award.

We can see from the heat map above that Diaz predominantly attacks from the right hand side. However we can also see large patches of positioning on the left side and in the opponents box. This shows his hunger to drive forward.

Diaz has bagged five goals and five assists in his domestic campaign so far, reflecting multiple routes to points. At a great price and in a game when anything can happen, Brahim Diaz may just be one of the best attacking enablers in the game remaining. With that in mind Diaz makes his way into the top picks for Matchday 11.

Erling Haaland

Manchester City come up against Real Madrid who tend to concede goals. The visitors play on the first night and whilst many usually take a risk with captaincy on the first day, it could be a great time to avoid doing.

To once again highlight their scoring form, Manchester City have bagged a whopping 35 goals in their last 10 matches, averaging an even more impressive 3.5 goals scored per game. The largest contributor to this tally is Erling Haaland (€11.2m).

Haaland has been relentless since joining Manchester City. In fact, domestically, the Norwegian has managed an elite 34 goals and seven assists. That number tallies to 41 goal contributions in just 29 matches, reflecting incredible form.

In the current Champions League campaign, Haaland has racked up 12 goals and one assist in just eight matches. A good example of his explosiveness in UCL Fantasy is the fact he scored an eye watering five goals in one of his most recent games, totalling to 25 points in the game and 50 for those who chose to captain him.

Haaand is an absolute essential going into Matchday 11. His consistent form and explosive potential make him a player no-one can afford to avoid.

Karim Benzema

Real Madrid have a seismic battle against Manchester City next up. The Spanish side have been a little inconsistent in their last 10 matches. However, they have still found the net 26 times in that same period, averaging 2.6 goals scored per game.

It could be tough task against Manchester City at home, but from an attacking point of view, their opponents have kept just two clean sheets in their last 10 Premier League matches. One player who could take advantage of that is Karim Benzema (€10.9m).

Benzema leads the consistent Real Madrid attack, sitting as the focal point. The Frenchman also takes his teams penalties which is another potential route to points. In terms of his quality, he is still amongst the best strikers in the world, even at 35-years-old.

In his 21/22 domestic league campaign, Benzema struck 27 goals and mustered up 12 assists. This totals to a huge 39 goal contributions in 32 games. In that same season the striker also picked up a massive 15 goals and two assists, accumulating to 17 returns in 12 games.

This season has been no different for Benzema. In his current La Liga season he has bagged 17 goals and three assists in 21 games. In the Champions League, he has also collected four goals and one assist. It could be a big week for Benzema as he will look to extend his scoring run against English opponents.

Rafael Leao

AC Milan have been more and more convincing in attack as of late. A good example of this is the fact that they managed to beat Napoli in one of their most recent league matches 4-0 and then again at home in the Champions League.

Inter’s defensive inconsistencies indicate that there is room for an AC Milan attacker in Matchday 11. One way in which managers can do this is via Raphael Leao (€8.5m). The winger has been attracting some of the best teams in Europe over the years.

A good example of Leao’s potential is his 21/22 domestic league campaign. He scored 11 goals and created eight assists in his title winning season. That totals 19 goal contributions in 34 matches. His balance of goals and assists shows he has multiple routes to points.

Leao has converted his previous season form to his current campaign. The Italian has collected 12 goals and seven assists, accumulating 19 goal contributions in 30 league games. He has also impressed in the Champions League this season, picking up a return in six of his 10 matches.

In terms of recent form, Leao seems to have picked up, scoring five goals and producing three assists for both club and country in his last 10 games. Leao has shown tendencies to come good in the big games and they don’t get much bigger than this. Because of this, Leao could be an exciting selection amongst the top picks for Matchday 11.