Five Hidden #UCLFantasy Gems Matchday 3

FF247 Five Hidden #UCLFantasy Gems Matchday 3

In a new collaboration born out of a shared passion for fantasy sports, The Stats Zone will be providing the FF247 community with #UCLFantasy tips throughout the 2017/18 Champions League.

In addition to these guest articles prior to each matchday, the TSZ website will run a live blog on both Tuesday and Wednesday which will chart the #UCLFantasy impact of Champions League matches as they happen. You can follow that here.

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So, you’ve done it. You’ve spent three hours reading hundreds of random threads on Reddit. You’ve flicked between a series of vine compilations of people falling over and making weird noises and stuff like that. You’ve typed out exactly one email all day and it’s still sitting in your drafts because if you send it you’ll probably be given more work to do. You’ve finally reached peak office boredom.

And then the lightbulb flickers. No, not the one that’s been on the fritz for a few months that nobody has bothered to call an electrician out for. The one in your brain. The one that reminds you that haven’t sorted out your line-up for Matchday 3 of #UCLFantasy.

After three painful weeks without it, the return of the Champions League group stages is tantalisingly close. You’ve got your BT subscription all sorted, picked which match you’re going to watch, and now all that’s left is to painstakingly pick out your starting XI. Your dogs of war. The 11 men who will lead you to a promised land which mere mortals can only dream of (or possibly just allow you some bragging rights with your mates, I suppose). Fortunately, we’re here to set you on your way.

“Harry Kane will probably score again this week,” mutters Martin from accounts, his desk littered with Coke cans and Pringle crumbs. “And you can never go wrong with Messi as your captain.” You hate Martin from accounts. His football knowledge is so basic. You must beat him this season. You must outsmart him. And this is where we come in, offering you a glimpse at five underrated players who could set your side apart from the rest in Matchday 3, and the rest of the Champions League group stage.

Sergio Rico vs Spartak Moscow (A)
Goalkeeper — Sevilla — €5.5m
If you’re looking for a side with two upcoming fixtures against weaker opposition, then look no further than Sevilla, who travel to Moscow this week to face Spartak before the Russians visit Andalucía in two weeks’ time.

Our recommendation to you, therefore, is Spanish international goalkeeper Sergio Rico, who kept a clean sheet last time out against Maribor in a 3-0 victory. Sevilla have conceded just 3 goals in their last 7 games, while Spartak offered very little going forward in their last UCL outing against Liverpool, scoring only through a free-kick from Fernando which the Reds’ ‘keeper Loris Karius should have done much better with.

Eduardo Berizzo’s side are the only side to have won a game so far in Group E, so holding on to Rico could well be a shrewd piece of business as he and his teammates will likely progress to the latter stages of the competition.

Ivan Marcano vs RB Leipzig (A)
Defender — FC Porto — €5.0m
Spanish centre-back Ivan Marcano could well be a steal for any fantasy manager looking for a cheaper player who could score good points across the next couple of games.

The former Rubin Kazan player already has 2 goals to his name so far this season, and earned solid clean sheet points last time out in his side’s surprisingly comfortable 0-3 over Monaco at the Stade Louis II. Porto have gone unbeaten in all their games since a chastening defeat to Besiktas on Matchday 1 of the UCL, and up next they face a double-header against an RB Leipzig side which has yet to score at all in Europe this season.
He has 7 points to his name after 2 matchdays, and should definitely be under consideration for your defence.

Aleks Pihler vs Liverpool (H)
Midfielder — Maribor — €5.5m
Now, I know what you’re thinking here. You’re thinking that my suggestion of a Maribor players means I must be genuinely unwell and you’re concerned for my wellbeing. And, you might well be right, but I’m going to explain my reasoning anyway.

No matter which players you have in your squad, you’re pretty much always going to reach the stage where you have one final slot to fill, and only the minimum amount of money with which to do so. That means there’s usually at least one player in your squad of 15 that you pick to make up the numbers and would never dream of choosing in your starting XI.

But 23-year-old Slovenian midfielder Aleks Pihler is here to change your attitude about the cheap lads. He has 3 goals in 8 games so far this season, and represents his side’s most likely goalscorer against a Liverpool defence that has been extremely leaky in 2017/18.

It might not work out, but if you’ve one extra space that needs filling on the cheap, you could do far worse than this.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel vs CSKA Moscow (A)
Forward — FC Basel — €7.0m
Perennial Swiss UCL participants FC Basel have made a good start to life in Group B. They may only sit on 3 points after 2 games, half the figure group favourites Manchester United have already run-up, but they were unfortunate to lose at Old Trafford, and then trounced Benfica in a 5-0 win at their home ground of St. Jakob’s Park.

The combination of the flood of goals they scored against the Lisbon outfit and the fact they play CSKA Moscow in their next 2 games, means that one of their forwards would likely be a good option to get into your side this coming week.

Dimitri Oberlin scored twice against Jorge Jesus’ men on Matchday 2, but those are the only goals he’s managed to notch since the beginning of the season. Former Norwich City reject Ricky van Wolfswinkel, however, has been in more consistent goalscoring form, having bagged 7 so far in 9 appearances. The Dutch striker is also the club’s designated penalty-taker.

He’s earned himself 8 points in those games against United and Benfica, and will surely add more to his tally when he faces the unfancied Russians over the next couple of matchdays.

Facundo Ferreyra vs Feyenoord (A)
Forward — Shakhtar Donetsk — €7.5m
Now, you obviously think I’m joking at this point by recommending two frontmen who failed spectacularly in the Premier League a few years back, but this too is a legitimate suggestion.

Despite not playing a single minute of league football while on loan at Newcastle in 2014/15, Argentine Facundo Ferreyra has been Shakhtar Donetsk’s main man up front for the past couple of years, and his goal scoring record this season (8 in 12 games) is impressive to say the least.

What’s more, Shakhtar are about to play a double-header against Feyenoord, arguably the weakest team in this year’s competition (they’ve got Brad Jones playing in goal ffs), and so you should probably be stocking up on the Ukrainian side’s best players right now.

Thanks for reading Five Hidden #UCLFantasy Gems Matchday 3

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