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A study guide with extensive coverage of top differentials and budget picks who could be promising assets in your Champions League fantasy team for 2024-2025.
Choosing the right differential for your fantasy team could mean the difference between top and bottom in your mini-league. Bringing in quality players at affordable prices would allow premium assets to be prime options on your teams. However, who are these differentials and budget picks to look out for?
Hello, everyone. As RotoBaller embarks on its second season covering the UEFA Champions League, this article serves as your preview guide to the thrilling journey of the UEFA Champions League 2024-2025 season with its final set to take place at Munich Football Arena, Germany.
The Matchday 1 deadline of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League season is Tuesday, September 17 at 12:45 p.m. EDT, when Young Boys entertains Aston Villa and Juventus hosts PSV Eindhoven. Also, check out the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the squad gets you all set for every English Premier League slate with our EPL DFS lineup picks and betting picks.
European football expert? 🧠🤔
PROVE IT: sign up for fantasy for free now! 👇#UCLfantasy | @playstationEU
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 6, 2024
Top Differentials For Your Fantasy Team (<10% ownership)
The 2024-2025 Champions League season introduces a plethora of impactful assets among the 36 participating teams. Below, I'll list 10 players who are solid differential options per position; three forwards, three midfielders, two defenders, and two goalkeepers. We'll start with the forwards.
Forward: Viktor Gyokeres (€7.5m) - Sporting CP
Swedish international Viktor Gyokeres has been in remarkable form, contributing eight goals and seven assists in his last seven appearances for both club and country this season.
Gyokeres had an outstanding 2023-2024 season with Sporting CP in the Primeira Liga, delivering 29 goals and 10 assists in 33 matches. Currently, at just 5 percent ownership in UCL Fantasy, Gyokeres is the ultimate differential to consider at the start of the Champions League season.
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⚽️⚽️Viktor Gyökeres is a cheat code. 🎮 pic.twitter.com/aDWaysGjhl
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) September 8, 2024
Forward: Mateo Retegui (€5.5m) - Atalanta BC
The former Genoa striker Mateo Retegui has been in excellent form since signing for Atalanta in the summer. With three goals already for his new club, he is gaining confidence leading the attack. Priced at a budget-friendly €5.5m, Retegui is a solid addition to your UCL fantasy team if you're looking for an affordable forward option.
Under the radar🔍
Position: FWD
Price: €5.5m
Stats: 3 goals in his last 4 matches since signing for Atalanta ✅
Amassed 4.07 shots/90, 0.71 npxG/90 🔥TSB: 1% ownership
First UCL game: Arsenal (H)
Will Mateo Retegui fill the third forward spot in your #UCLFantasy team? pic.twitter.com/zeEmYzdkTe
— FPL Manual (Wale) (@TheFPLManual) September 7, 2024
Forward: Kyogo Furuhashi (€6.5m) - Celtic FC
With a goal and an assist in four matches for Celtic, Kyogo Furuhashi has shown promising quality as a potential asset for fantasy managers. Celtic's favorable fixtures in the league phase add to his appeal, particularly with an opening match against Champions League debutants ŠK Slovan Bratislava. He is certainly one of the top forwards to consider targeting.
🙆 One thing is likely: a Kyogo goal in the Glasgow derby.
At 40 minutes, the Celtic striker fired a low shot past Butland’s left after a great pass from Greg Taylor.#CELRAN | #CelticFC🍀 pic.twitter.com/xp4DnLQPEf
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 2, 2024
Midfield: Edon Zhegrova (€6m) - LOSC Lille
25-year-old midfielder Edon Zhegrova played a crucial role in Lille's Champions League qualification, scoring three goals along the way. His versatility allows him to operate both as a winger and occasionally as a second forward alongside teammate Jonathan David (€6m). Given his strong start to the season, Zhegrova is one asset that stands out on my watchlist for the new campaign.
Under the radar 🔍
Position: MID
Price: 6m
Stats: 4 goals in his last 5 matches for Losc Lille ✅
TSB: 0% ownershipFirst UCL game: Sporting (A)
Would consider bringing in Edon Zhegrova to your #UCLFantasy team? pic.twitter.com/lqkkmpcHI0
— FPL Manual (Wale) (@TheFPLManual) September 3, 2024
Midfield: Amadou Onana (€5.5m) - Aston Villa
Aston Villa, the 1982 Champions League winners, is back and will be grateful to recruit Amadou Onana, who has flared into form since joining the Villans. Onana, who has two goals in his first three games, adds a strong attacking flair to his game by being a threat from set pieces and is very reliable in ball recoveries.
Two goals in three games for Amadou Onana ⌚️👑#UpTheVilla pic.twitter.com/61pENuHj5Q
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) August 31, 2024
Midfield: Oscar Gloukh (€6m) - RB Salzburg
20-year-old Israeli international Oscar Gloukh has found his form for RB Salzburg, contributing three goals and three assists in his last seven matches. As of this writing, Gloukh boasts impressive stats in the Austrian league, with 5.13 shots per 90 minutes, 0.69 non-penalty expected goals (npxG) per 90, 4.20 chances created per 90, and 0.81 expected assists (xA) per 90.
With set-piece duties and favorable fixtures for Salzburg, Gloukh is a standout pick for the first four fixtures in the Champions League.
Oscar Gloukh's hat-trick on Saturday ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/cVmx3vgliV
— FC Red Bull Salzburg EN (@FCRBS_en) August 12, 2024
Defender: Alejandro Grimaldo (€5.5m) - Bayer Leverkusen
After an outstanding 2023-2024 season contributing 10 goals and 13 assists to help Leverkusen secure its first Bundesliga title in its history, Alejandro Grimaldo has flourished as an attacking defender, operating more like a winger in Xabi Alonso's system at Leverkusen.
With the club's return to the Champions League, Grimaldo becomes a viable option for fantasy managers.
Defender: Federico Gatti (€5m) - Juventus
Wearing the captain's armband for Juventus and confidently leading the backline, Federico Gatti is yet to concede a goal in the first three matches under new boss Thiago Motta. Known for his aerial prowess, Gatti is a key threat from set pieces and excels in duels and ball recoveries. He's a recommended pick for those looking to include a reliable Juventus defender on their fantasy team.
Goalkeeper: Kasper Schmeichel (€4.5m) - Celtic FC
Returning to the Champions League for the first time since the 2016-2017 season with Leicester, Kasper Schmeichel is now back but in green and white colors for Celtic. The 37-year-old veteran goalkeeper has started the season impressively, keeping four clean sheets in his first four matches for the club in the Scottish Premiership.
Priced at €4.5m, Schmeichel is a solid differential option and budget-friendly pick for the goalkeeping position on your fantasy team.
Under the radar 🔍
Position: GK
Price: €4.5m
Stats: Kept 4 clean sheets in his opening 4 matches since signing for Celtic FC 🥅
The 37-year-old veteran stopper is ready for his Champions league return 🧤(since Leicester 2016/17 season)TSB: 2% ownership
First UCL game: ŠK… pic.twitter.com/s8x18SNdBK
— FPL Manual (Wale) (@TheFPLManual) September 8, 2024
Goalkeeper: Michele Di Gregorio (€4.5m) - Juventus
With the departure of former goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, new boss Thiago Motta has turned to Michele Di Gregorio, who has started Juventus' first three games of the season, keeping clean sheets in all of them. Priced at €4.5m, Di Gregorio could be a reliable differential pick if Juventus continues its strong start in the Champions League.
Best Budget Picks To Look Out For (€4m - €4.5m)
Kamil Piatkowski (€4m) - Salzburg
Putting in an outstanding performance in Salzburg's defense, especially in the qualifying playoffs against Dynamo Kyiv, Kamil Piatkowski has cemented his place as a regular starter for the Austrian side. This is great news for UCL fantasy managers who are looking for budget-friendly options to balance out more expensive assets, as Piatkowski offers a smooth route into your squad.
🚨4m Alert 🚨
Kamil Piatkowski - DEF
Started 3/4 matches in the Austrian League✅
Solid defender with 2.24 tackles won/90, 7.05 duel won/90, 7.37 recoveries/90 in those outings 🔥
Excellent in the UCL playoffs against Dynamo Kyiv 🧱One to consider for your #UCLFantasy team pic.twitter.com/5i5gY3gHUK
— FPL Manual (Wale) (@TheFPLManual) September 7, 2024
Eliesse Ben Seghir (€4.5m) - AS Monaco
The 19-year-old Moroccan winger has shown great promise, particularly in his goal and shot creation, and he has scored despite wearing a Monaco shirt for just 223 minutes this season.
As such, he is an important creator for the team. Ben Seghir is your man if you need an affordable attacking option with a ton of goal potential.
In Ligue 1 this season, Eliesse Ben Seghir ranks in the top 10 among all players for...
Progressive carrying distance
Passes into the box
Total shots taken
Shot-creating actions
Carries into the box [🥇]
Fouls drawn [🥇]One to keep an eye on. 👁 pic.twitter.com/1M81N4aOzC
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) September 4, 2024
Join The RotoBaller League
Once again, join our RotoBaller.com league. Hit any of our writers up over the next two weeks, we will give you the code (also in the graphic below), and you'll be good to go. Good luck for UEFA Champions League Fantasy, RotoBallers!
Stick around for more UCL Fantasy content coming soon. Is there a question you would like to have answered every week? Hit us up on X @RotoBaller. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!
