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 In this article, <a href="https://twitter.com/kwolf_ff">Kevin, </a>who finished 21st in the world in 2020/21, and 2.5k in 21/22, outlines his Matchday 1 team, chip strategy and top players for each position.
New to UCL Fantasy Football? Check out <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/uefa-champions-league-fantasy-football-guide-for-beginners-2022-23">Kevin’s beginner’s guide for the 2022/23 season.</a>
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<h2>UCL Fantasy Matchday 1 Team Reveal</h2>
Going into Matchday 1 of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League season, I am going all in on tip 1 from my preseason article, <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/uefa-champions-league-fantasy-football-tips-2022-23">UEFA Champions League Fantasy Football tips 2022/23</a> – don’t shy away from top players because of price.
Once the groups were revealed, it was clear I was heading toward a big up front strategy. This is the foundation for my team, as I plan on selecting 3 €11.0m forwards.
Chip strategy is also something I am thinking about when selecting my Matchday 1 team. I tend to play my wildcard and limitless chips in the group stage, so calculated risks can come into play for some of the early matchdays.
I don’t want to limit myself to a chip in Matchday 2, so I will be trying to select a team I see doing well over the course of 2 or 3 matchdays. If Matchday 1 implodes (see 2021/22 season) I can always activate a chip to fix initial mistakes.
I will go through position by position, and give some of my thoughts on each pick. I will also outline some players who I am not selecting, but are still great picks.
What makes UCL Fantasy so fun and competitive is the array of options provided to managers from 32 of the top teams in Europe.
<div id="attachment_47747" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47747" class="size-full wp-image-47747" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Haaland-2.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />
Erling Haaland. Picture by Getty Images
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<h2></h2>
<h2>Goalkeepers</h2>
Goalkeeper is the position I am struggling with the most this year.
Most of the best goalkeepers in the world play in the Champions League, but the problem is they are priced like the best goalkeepers in the world.
A strategy I always follow when selecting goalkeepers is selecting one that plays on Tuesday, and one that plays on Wednesday. This enhances the chances for points.
Currently, I am debating between two goalkeepers that play on Tuesday; Thibaut Courtois (€6.0m) of Real Madrid and Odysseas Vlachodimos (€5.0m) from Benfica.
Both have great Matchday 1 fixtures increasing their opportunities for clean sheets.
Looking past Matchday 1, Benfica have a much tougher group that includes Juventus and Paris St. Germain.
Courtois is currently owned by 45% of the game and is a top option past Matchday 1 as well.
It appears Mattia Perin (€4.0m) will be starting for Juventus with Wojciech Szczesny (€5.5m) currently injured. Usually this would be music to our ears, a €4.0m goalkeeper starting for a top European team. However, they play Paris St. Germain in Matchday 1 so I think I will avoid for now.
My Wednesday goalkeeper selection will come down to the injury news on Jan Oblak (€5.5m) of Atletico Madrid. If he is out, Ivo Grbic (€4.0m) will be my second goalkeeper selection.
Atletico have a great group, and a punt on a €4.0m goalkeeper for a solid defensive side is a risk I am willing to take.
Other options I will be looking at if Jan Oblak (€5.5m) is deemed fit are Remko Pasveer (€5.0m) of Ajax and Douglas Costa (€5.0m) of Porto.
<div id="attachment_49098" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-49098" class="size-full wp-image-49098" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/courtois.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />
Thibaut Courtois. Picture by Getty Images.
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<h2>Defenders</h2>
There are a number of great options in defence; it is actually a little overwhelming.
Many great teams, with many great matchups, mean that it comes down to selecting the right price points to maximise value.
Manchester City are a team I want to target. I see them keeping a clean sheet in most of their group stage games.
Joao Cancelo (€6.5m) and Nathan Ake (€4.5m) are the two options I am currently looking at, however I am learning towards the Portuguese for safety reasons.
Reece James (€6.0m) of Chelsea plays in the early game on Tuesday against Dinamo Zagreb, and will be locked in my team once I see the starting lineups.
Raphael Guerreiro (€4.5m) from Dortmund also plays in the early slot against FC Copenhagen and is currently in my team.
Nicolas Otamendi (€4.5m) now of Benfica, Devyne Rensch (€4.5m) from Ajax, and Reinildo (€4.5m) of Atletico Madrid are all €4.5m defenders I am currently debating including in my squad.
Other premium defensive options I would consider are David Alaba (€6.0m) from Real Madrid, Spurs man Ivan Perisic (€6.0m), Alphonso Davies (€5.5m) of Bayern Munich, and Jules Kounde (€5.0m) from Barcelona.
If budget is an issue, there are also some great (€4.0m) defenders; Arsenal man Nuno Tavares (€4.0m) is on loan at Marseille, Ivan Marcano (€4.0m) should start for Porto, and Denis Odoi (€4.0m) is an option from Club Brugge.
<div id="attachment_47218" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47218" class="size-full wp-image-47218" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GettyImages-1396266404.jpg" alt="cancelo" width="1024" height="683" />
Joao Cancelo. Picture by Getty Images
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<h2>Midfielders</h2>
Having a big at the front strategy limits my budget for premium midfielder picks.
Steven Bergwijn (€7.0m) of Ajax is locked in my team - he is on fire, and plays Rangers in Matchday 1.
Christopher Nkunku (€9.0m) from RB Leipzig is 75% locked in my team. He is an amazing player, in form, and playing Shakhtar Donetsk in Matchday 1. My only issue is his price tag.
Chelsea's Jorginho (€5.5m) picks up ball recovery points and also takes penalties. We get to see the starting lineup Tuesday for Chelsea, so if he’s in the lineup, he will be in my team.
Joao Mario (€6.0m) and Florentino (€4.5m) are cheap options I am looking at from Benfica.
Ajax man Kenneth Taylor (€5.0m) is also a player I am looking at in this price bracket.
Other great options are Mohamed Salah(€11.0m) – Liverpool, Kevin De Bruyne (€10.5m) – Manchester City, Sadio Mane (€10.5m) – Bayern Munich, Vinicius Junior €10.0m – Real Madrid, Raheem Sterling (€9.5m) – Chelsea, and Marco Reus (€7.5m) – Dortmund.
<div id="attachment_47673" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47673" class="size-full wp-image-47673" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Mo-Salah-202223-1.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />
Mohamed Salah. Picture by Getty Images.
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<h2>Forwards</h2>
As mentioned above, I am going with a big at the front strategy.
My frontline will be Erling Haaland (€11.0m) of Manchester City, Karim Benzema (€11.0m) of Real Madrid, and Robert Lewandowski (€11.0m) of Barcelona.
Whilst they are expensive picks, all three are proven world class goalscorers playing for top teams.
<div id="attachment_49099" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-49099" class="size-full wp-image-49099" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/lewandowski.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />
Robert Lewandowski. Picture by Getty Images.
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UCL Fantasy Team Reveal – Matchday 1

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