As the UEFA Champions League enters its climax, first-time finalists Paris face five-time winners Bayern in a mouth-watering contest. As the grand Final kicks off with the Champions League anthem for one final time this season so does the preparations for the UCL Fantasy Grand Finale! With the season wrapping up let’s take a final look at who can make the cut in your final eleven for the season and who will be your standout Captain.
In this UCL Fantasy Grand Finale guide, we will discuss how exactly to get the best out of the five allowed transfers. From captaincy choices to picking the differentials. The final for the 2019/20 edition of the tournament will finally take place after over a year since the campaign started and will fittingly see two of the best clubs from the European scene square off against each other.
UCL Fantasy Grand Finale: Tips and Tricks
1. Aim for a Balanced Squad
With a maximum of eight players that can be selected from any one club for the finals , it’s often tempting to fill your squad with players from the favorites ie Bayern in this case. However, we suggest thinking a bit more out of the box and select players from a wider range by spreading your squad across both the teams. With the Champions League proving to be a game of uncertainty you may be tricked, and you can never write off PSG from the tie completely. Having an uneven squad might hinder your chances in finishing high this season.
2. Keep an eye on the Injury list
Selecting the nailed-on starters is always going to increase your chances of success in the UCL Fantasy Grand Finale. Also one of the main key factors or your success will be to avoid any last-minute injuries. So remember to keep an eye on our UCL Fantasy Injury list to make sure which players make the final cut for the individual teams and on whom you should remain cautious about or avoid totally. Additionally, we will provide the lineup indications from both teams, thus giving you a clear cut idea as to how the teams will build up before the final showdown in Lisbon.
3. Selecting the proper Captain
Choosing the right captain can make or break your matchday. Example – Captaining Josip Iličić on matchday 8 handed the managers a handsome 48 points ! With the finals, you only get one shot at the target so either make the fan popular choice or stick to your gut and go against the flow. Also since the selection is more thus so is the hassle of getting the correct choice. Don’t worry we have your issues covered in our UCL Fantasy Grand Finale article.
4. Monitor Player Ownership regularly
The ‘ Selected by % ‘ in each player’s profile is a useful statistic to monitor as it allows the managers to see how popular their player picks are. For those who need to gain some points in their mini-leagues and climb up the rankings, there are plenty of tempting options with low ownership amongst the remaining teams. If your differential produces the results, you are bound to fly up in the rankings. However, remember certain players are highly-owned for a reason, and going without them represents a significant risk, so balance is key. Try to maintain a proper balance between differentials and highly owned players in your squad.
UCL Fantasy Grand Finale: Players to look out for
Goalkeepers
Bayern’s sweeper-keeper Manuel Neuer (€6.0m) produced the goods against Lyon with a clean sheet and seven fantasy points in the semi-final win, and his owners will be hoping for more of the same against another French outfit in the final. Having five clean sheets in this season’s competition prior to Sunday’s finale, he will be boosted up to give another similar performance.
This suggestion comes with a warning as Paris No 1 Keylor Navas (€5.6m) could recover from injury in time to return between the sticks on Sunday. If the Costa Rican fails to make it, though, understudy Sergio Rico (€4.3m) could once again prove to be a canny differential ( 3% ) following his seven points against Leipzig in the semi-finals, so keep your eye on the PSG line-up before making your final decision.
Defenders
Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich (€6.5m) is everything you want from a defender as he provides both clean sheet potential and attacking returns. Both were in evidence in Wednesday’s semi-final victory against Lyon and his owners were rewarded with a healthy ten points . The German is easily the most highly selected defender ( 29% ) in the game and looks a must-own asset heading into the final.
Marquinhos (€6.0m ) can prove to be a very useful pick for your squad. Following his attacking returns against both Leipzig and Atalanta . As he plays ahead of the back four in a defensive midfield position, he is more prone to attacks than his other defensive compatriots. On the other hand, Kimpembe (€5.6m) is one of the lesser-owned players in the Paris backline but is surely worthy of consideration for one main reason: ball recoveries. In a match in which both teams are likely to score, ball recoveries could be the difference in terms of which defender scores the most fantasy points. Thus he can prove to be a worthy differential.
Midfielders
In-form Serge Gnabry (€8.5m) is the runaway leader in terms of popularity among the fantasy managers as the Bayern man is approaching 30% in ownership. It’s easy to see why, as the German international has nine goals and his brace against Lyon earned him 10 matchday points , meaning he is surely an essential option for the fantasy managers on the final matchday.
Angel Di María (€8.4m) , who already boasts a UEFA Champions League medal owing to his triumph with Real Madrid in 2014, was in sparkling form upon his return from suspension in Tuesday’s semi-final victory over Leipzig. The Argentinian played in a front three alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappé and delivered an amazing 15-point return for his owners courtesy of a goal and two assists. That performance against Leipzig will surely keep him in the starting line-up and, given his advanced position as a forward, he will tempt the managers in handing him the armband, looking to take advantage of the extra points available to players classed as midfielders.
Forwards
The best-scoring Fantasy player in 2019/20 Robert Lewandowski (€11.1m) is unsurprisingly the most highly owned (46% ), with him surely the first name on everyone’s team sheets. The Pole has scored 55 goals in all competitions this season and is only two goals short of Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 17 in a single Champions League campaign. On the other hand, Thomas Müller (€9.0m) remains a tempting differential choice as he still only features in 5% of teams. The one-club man is no stranger to the biggest stages having done it all in the game and it would be no surprise to see him play an integral role in the final.
Neymar (€11.5m) has been a leading force for Paris since the Champions League returned with some moments of brilliance helping his side to a first-ever final in the competition. The Brazilian produced assists in both the quarter-final and semi-final victories over Atalanta and Leipzig. The 28-year-old has performed well against German opposition this season, has scored against Bayern in the past, and has also been on the scoresheet in a previous UEFA Champions League final (2015), so the omens are positive for anyone who chooses him and even further hands him the armband.
Captaincy Picks
No doubt the most highly selected captain on the final match day will be Lewandowski , and why wouldn’t he be? His goal and assist against Lyon in Wednesday’s semi-final took him to 100 fantasy points for the campaign and, if he finds the net against Paris on Sunday, he will have scored in every match he has played in this season’s competition. Those seeking to protect leads in their respective mini-leagues will look at Lewandowski as the sensible captain choice.
Of course, given recent form, you could make an equal argument for handing Gnabry the armband. He has outscored the more popular Lewandowski over the last two matchdays and there is nothing to suggest he cannot do so again in the final. Hardly a differential pick, but certainly one with a better upside than Lewandowski.
On the other hand if it’s Paris game to win it you can’t look past Neymar , Mbappe and Di Maria . That trio poses equal attacking threats with The Brazilian could easily have netted bigger fantasy hauls had he converted his opportunities in front of goal. Still, the fact he is putting himself in dangerous positions bodes well for his owners against Bayern. Di Maria being classed as a midfielder will give his users bonus points for captaincy.
UCL Fantasy Grand Finale: Team Draft
Remember only 11 can play in your lineup for the match day, so don’t think your bench will come in hand. This is the final, you can keep the cheaper players untransfered from the semi finals in your bench, so that to accommodate the other valuable players. Make your best 11 and keep your focus only on them. You can completely ignore your bench for the final, only if you field guaranteed starters.
So that’s all for our UCL Fantasy Grand Finale Team Selection Guide, hope to see you again next season. If you are concerned about the list of Injuries and Suspensions , look no further:
What are your thoughts on the UCL Fantasy Grand Finale Guide? Do you have any of the players in your lineups? Let us know in the comment section below.
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