While many strikers have proven themselves in the UEFA Champions League this season, UEFA.com takes a look at the best forwards in this position.
Goal and Player of the Match performance against Maccabi Haifa on Matchday 2 helped Kylian Mbappé (€11.1 million) take his Fantasy tally to 22 points – the most among strikers – and the Paris Saint-Germain striker, who has already scored double club goals this season, is in high demand ahead of the matchday three trip to Portugal for take on Group H rivals Benfica.
Mbappé isn’t the most possessed player in #UCLfantasy, however, with that accolade belonging to Erling Haaland (€11.1 million) who, like the Frenchman, found the net in both matches. The Manchester City striker’s acrobatic effort against former club Dortmund took his UEFA Champions League goal tally to 26 in 21 games since bursting onto the European scene in his Salzburg days . Manchester City host Copenhagen on matchday three, and the Norwegian is sure to be a hugely popular captaincy option.
Elsewhere in the premium bracket, the Parisian pair Lionel Messi (€10.5m) and Neymar (€10.0m) both opened their UEFA Champions League accounts for the season on matchday two, and as both players belong to far fewer #UCLfantasy managers than team-mate Mbappé, their differential appeal is clear. Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski (€11.1m) played a blank against former employers Bayern last time out, but his matchday one hat-trick is still fresh in memory as the Spanish side prepare for a double-header against Inter.
Mid-range forwards were also notable performers on matchday two, with Inter Edin Dzeko (€7.5m) and that of Benfica David Neres (€7.0m) attract attention with nine fantasy points each. However, #UCLfantasy managers should be careful when it comes to investing in the pair as Džeko’s starting spot will be under threat. Romelu Lukaku (€9.0m) back from injury, while Neres had a tough game against Paris on Matchday 3.
Perhaps a wiser choice would be the ever-reliable Dinamo Zagreb Mislav Orsic (€7.5 million), who scored for the Croatian champions in both of their Group E encounters. The 29-year-old is no stranger to finding the net in European competition, helping himself to a hat-trick against Atalanta the last time his team played in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Qualifying included, Oršić has scored five goals in his last five UEFA Champions League appearances, and is a tempting option for Dinamo Zagreb against Salzburg on Matchday 3.
The top scoring striker on Matchday 2 was, however, much cheaper than any of the aforementioned players, as the budget selection Ferran Jutgla (€5.5 million) amassed 14 Fantasy points in Club Brugge’s emphatic 4-0 win at Porto. The Spanish striker’s goal and assist helped him earn the player of the match bonus, with two extra points for winning a penalty. The Belgian side, who have won both of their Group B encounters so far, will next face Atlético.