Thread by @sulleymike

Group G: LILLE OSC

Defending Ligue 1 champions but now just a shadow of themselves with key departures and injuries. Renato Sanches' long term injury certainly didn't help, as were the transfers of Maignan to Milan and Soumare to Leicester. But the worst one is Galtier to Nice.

He is truly the mastermind behind their title-winning campaign. LOSC had a very stout defense under him and now Nice haven't conceded a goal yet in 4 games under him. His successor, Gourvennec, last oversaw Guingamp to Ligue 1 relegation in 18/19 and now Lille are leaking goals.

I just can't bring myself to invest in their defense. Sure, Grbic (G, 4.5) and Reinildo (D, 4.5) are cheap but all the teams in this group have decent attacks. In attack it's a revolving door of guys except for the evergreen Burak (F, 8.0) who is on pens.

He was unplayable in the home stretch last season for Lille, and has posted the 5th highest NPxG this season in Ligue 1 to go with his 3 goals. Don't forget how good he was for Galatasaray in the CL when he played for them with Drogba and Sneijder in the team. Good option.

SEVILLA:

Arguably the best team in this group. All the talks surrounding Kounde and they only really lost Luuk de Jong who's more of a backup nowadays for them. The team has looked mightily impressive too, dangerous in attack and tight in defense (1st in xGC) so far in La Liga.

Admittedly they have only played 3 games so that statistic might be a bit misleading. Still this is a proven European side that outplayed BVB in R16 last season only to lose to Haaland's individual brilliance. This with the fixtures makes their assets so attractive imo.

In their defense, in my view, every single player is worth investing. Bono (G, 5.0) now is undoubtedly 1st choice after Vaclik's departure. Kounde (D, 5.0) though not a good BR guy is a massive SP threat. His partner-in-crime Diego Carlos (D, 4.5) got 7.16 BRp90 last season.

Both Jesus Navas (D, 5.0) and Acuna (D, 4.5) have shown attacking prowess down the flanks. En-Nesyri's ability to get on the end of their crosses will help their assist potential for sure. Both are also on SP duties. At the moment I see Acuna as a key player in my fantasy squad.

The midfield is a bit of a minefield for fantasy purposes with Lamela great off the bench and Ocampos hurt, but the focal point is for sure En-Nesyri (F, 8.5) who is on pens. He's not that consistent yet but is capable of exploding at any game:

Last year in the CL En-Nesyri scored in only 3 games, netting a brace each. In La Liga he got a hattrick twice. With Lewandowski Lukaku and Ronaldo on offer, one should not put the onus on En-Nesyri as captain but for his price, backing him to explode is a smart ordeal.

More on Navas v Acuna: Acuna got just above 6 BRp90 last CL campaign compared to Navas' 4.5. In my books Acuna is a better pick, and even better as a Day 1 asset to give you flexibility because most top fantasy CL defenders (Hakimi, Trent, Guerreiro, Cancelo) play on Day 2.

WOLFSBURG:

Leading Bundesliga with a strong defense that hasn't lost anyone in the window, although the attack hasn't been exactly free flowing (just 5.9 xG in 4 games, 2 against promoted teams) under new Trainer van Bommel. I think they go through with Sevilla in this group.

Casteels (G, 5.0) again rotates well with the BJK goalie. In defense, with a serious injury to Otavio, Roussillon (D, 4.0) has cemented himself as the starter at LB, even scoring against Leipzig. Don't expect attacking returns or BR from him though.

Brooks and Lacroix (D, 4.5) form a formidable partnership in the middle and I can see both doing well in BR, looking at their fbref profiles and the style of play under van Bommel. Mbabu (D, 4.5) should start at RB although Baku (D, 5.5), who is more of a RM, can play there.

Mbabu should also do well in BR with a muted attacking threat. Baku meanwhile should get some BR while present a huge attacking threat as a RW (6G 8A last season in Bundesliga). So there can be as many as 6 viable fantasy options in The Wolves' backline.

In my opinion, Roussillon > Casteels > Baku > Lacroix > Brooks > Mbabu. The French LB's price makes him easy to fit in most squads. Casteels in goal is easy to fit as well; Baku is more expensive but carries a significant attacking threat. Then it's Lacroix for his price & BR.

The attack is not so great although the focal point is undoubtedly Weghorst (F, 8.0) who is on pens. He got 20G 8A in 34 BL games last season and has notched twice, both from the spot. Other than him, just Guilavogui (M, 5.5) is decent as a BR guy.

With Schlager out long-term, Guilavogui should help the Wolfsburg defense (another reason to invest in them!), while providing BR.

RED BULL SALZBURG:

Still too good for the Austrian league despite losing head coach Marsch to Leipzig and Daka, Mwepu to PL clubs. Their recruiting and football philosophy ensure that the team is well-placed to compete in all fronts while allowing players/coaches to move on.

Defense hasn't been Salzburg's strong suit for a while but Kohn (G, 4.5) is serviceable as a cheap starter, while Wober (D, 4.0) appears to have recovered from his injury at the weekend. He's awesome in BR with over 9 p90 last season. His partner Solet (D, 4.0) is cheap as well.

Although I'm not quite sure how aggressive in defending he will be compared to Wober. Kristensen (D, 4.5) at RB should provide oodles of attacking threat, having equalled his goals tally (3) from last season in just 6 games.

Salzburg this season play a 4312 with wunderkinds Adeyemi (F, 7.0) and Sesko (F, 6.5) leading the line, the former being on pens and scored for the senior German side over the IB. If the attack clicks Adeyemi will be a big part of it.

Seiwald (M, 4.5) should be a good enabler though I don't expect much BR from him as a CM. Again, it helps that Salzburg players play in Day 1, so their assets will be great to rotate with the Day 2 assets from MCI, LIV, PSG, ATM, BVB, etc.

Group H: CHELSEA

Defending champs and looking good in the PL thus far, although not super convincing as a team. Tuchel elected to keep the 3atb and addressed the CF spot emphatically with Lukaku already hitting the ground running. Juve looking poor also makes this group easier.

Chelsea have a ridiculous defense as seen in their CL title run and notably at Anfield this season. The system is so good at limiting chances, either through counterpressing or through funneling opposition wide; providing that the midfielders are working hard off the ball while

controlling the game with it. Kante's injury and Jorginho's benching due to his excessive game time therefore exposed Chelsea badly but that's why Mendy (G, 6.0) is UEFA's GK of the Season. His ability to stop shots and distribute the ball is vital to Chelsea nowadays.

Not to mention that Rudiger (D, 5.5) has been playing out of his mind in 2021 at LCB, same with Christensen (D, 5.0) who has kept Thiago Silva off the team. Azpi (D, 5.0) is very capable at either RCB and RWB as well; I'd expect him to be at RCB with Reece (D, 5.5) at RWB mostly.

Reece has looked awesome in the attacking sense in limited minutes this season. No Kounde and CHO not very comfortable at RWB makes his spot more secure, not to mention his ability to play RCB if necessary. He's never left my fantasy squad. At LWB I still think it's a rotation.

Whoever plays there, be it Alonso (beginning of this season) or Chilwell (end of last season), will do well in the fantasy sense. In my view, Tuchel is riding with Alonso's form from preseason while allowing Chilwell to recover mentally from the Euros and building up physically.

And tomorrow, a home game against Zenit, is the perfect opportunity to ease Chilwell in. So despite Alonso being at 5.0, I'd not be tempted; I can understand you going for him though if you have enough players to relieve him, as he plays on Day 1.

In attack Lukaku (F, 10.5) feels cheap honestly, although it's unclear if he or Jorginho is on pens for The Blues. We have seen that Lukaku can score even with limited service (vs Villa), and last year he got 4 CL goals in 5 (admittedly in just 2 games). He'll only get better as

he builds chemistry with fellow attackers Mount (M, 7.5) and Havertz (M, 9.0). The Juventus games are not ideal for sure, as Chiellini last season was taking it to him, but I expect Chelsea to take the game to Juve, especially given Juve's form, and create loads for him.

Other than that, Jorginho (M, 6.0) should have some floor as a decent BR guy and might still take pens. Mount is going to trickle with SP duties and benefitting from Lukaku's presence. Just the fact that he's one of the few viable mids in Day 1 makes him viable in my eyes.

JUVENTUS:

Despite Allegri's arrival and the marquee signing of Locatelli, Juve cannot start the season any worse with just 1 point in 3 games, including against a newly-promoted team. There are various reasons for this: Chiesa hasn't been healthy since GW1, Ronaldo's departure,

Szczesny's mistakes leading to goals, lack of South American players in the Napoli game, and just in general Juventus' lack of talent throughout the squad to make it work, Pirlo or Allegri. Leading the league in xG and xGC last year despite not winning the Scudetto,

Juve have alarmingly slipped to bottom 5 in xGC this season, only better than the 3 promoted teams and Spezia whose last season's head coach is doing a good job with Fiorentina thus far. They can do better but you'd expect more from Allegri, him having had a full pre-season.

In defense, Szczesny is there but I'm just not quite sure he's worth the trouble for our fantasy teams. If he doesn't improve, he might even lose his spot to Perin. Danilo and De Ligt (D, 5.0) are solid options, the Dutch offers some BR potential with just over 6 p90 last season.

Though with the first fixture being an away one, Chelsea up next and then Zenit away, hard to see enough CS for these guys. In attack, a knock ruled Chiesa out of the Malmo game, so the onus is on Cuadrado (M, 8.0) to create chances as he did so well last season (11A in 30 games)

I just don't know if there are enough goals in the team for Cuadrado to justify his price tag. Same with the strike duo Morata (F, 9.5) and Dybala (F, 9.0). Locatelli (M, 6.5) is a wonderful player but I need to see his role in the team, whether as a DLP or as a B2B, to invest.

ZENIT:

Still the class of Russian football but they had an abysmal GS showing last year despite the relatively kind draw. I have little faith in this team to turn it around this season; although with Malmo in the group EL is a possibility.

Zenit have not been good defensively so far this season, conceding in every league game save for the CSKA game where they saw multiple efforts hitting the post. LB/CB Douglas Santos (D, 4.0), their SP taker, is the only viable option then, but don't expect BRs.

In attack, it's easy to pick between the two 8.0 strikers of Azmoun and Dzyuba. Clearly the edge goes to the Iranian man who has scored 5 in 7 (Dzyuba in 7 games hasn't scored yet and has 4A) and will take pens if Sutormin is not on the pitch (likely to happen).

Elsewhere I like Wendel (M, 5.0) as an enabler. He's not going to be a BR monster like his teammate Barrios (M, 5.0), who faces a late test to see if he's available against Chelsea, but he has had 2G 2A in 8 games this season. Playing Malmo at home next won't hurt either.

MALMO:

I like their story, going from the 1st Round of Qualifying to the GS. They scored in every game in Qualifying and averaged 2 goals a game last season in the Allsvenskan, also 2 goals a game this season. Opening against this Juve and Zenit is not bad for their attack.

The attack will most likely be Colak (F, 6.5) leading the line, and then depending on the formation, Birmancevic (M, 6.0) may play alongside him in attack. The Serbian winger has contributed a goal in his last 5 CL games, playing a big part in Malmo getting here.

And then in defense the budget gem is Ahmedhodzic (D, 4.0). He's a threat from SP with 2G 2A in 29 Allsvenskan apps last season. It still remains to be seen how good he is in BR.

In summary, here are the top options from Day 1. Starred means my favorite:

Goalkeeper:
Neuer 6
Mendy 6*
De Gea 5.5
Casteels 5*
Bono 5*
Rulli 4.5*
Musso 4.5*
Vlachodimos 4.5*
Kohn 4.5

Defender:
Kimmich 6.5*
Davies 6*
Shaw 6
Gosens 5.5*
Upamecano 5.5*
James/Rudiger 5.5*
Baku 5.5*
Toloi/Djimsiti 5
Kounde/Navas 5*
Christensen/Azpi 5
Acuna 4.5*** <= Love him!
Diego Carlos 4.5*
Foyth 4.5*
Lacroix 4.5*
Grimaldo/Otamendi 4.5*
Kristensen 4.5
Ahmedhodzic 4
Wober 4*

Defender (cont):
A. Moreno 4*
Solet 4
Roussillon 4*

Midfielders:
Bruno 10.5
Sane 9*
Kai 9
Pogba 8.5*
Cuadrado 8
Malinovskyi 7.5
Goretzka 7.5
Mount 7.5
Tsygankov 7.5
Rafa Silva 7
Musiala 6.5*
Birmancevic 6
Jorginho 6
Guilavogui 5.5*
Aaronson 5.5
Wendel 5*
Seiwald 4.5*

You see why I said it's hard to pick MIDs from Day 1? Yeah it's not the best slate to pick from.

Forwards:
Lewandowski 11.5*
Ronaldo 11*
Lukaku 10.5*
Zapata 9.5*
Morata 9.5
Dybala 9
Memphis 8.5*
Gerard 8.5
En-Nesyri 8.5*
Greenwood 8
Weghorst 8
Burak 8
Azmoun 8
Adeyemi 7*

Forwards (cont):

Yaremchuk 7
Sesko 6.5
Colak 6.5
Dia 6.5

Group A: MAN CITY

This team is still the team that got to the CL Final last year, while adding Grealish. Save for one hiccup in GW1 where the team was not full-strength, City have been mightily impressive in PL, creating a boatload of chances while conceding very few of them.

Despite starting against Leipzig at home and PSG away, I back City to do well in both fixtures. In defense, Ederson (G, 6.0) and Dias (D, 6.0) should be great once again as nailed-on starters. City are doing fantastic with Walker (D, 5.5) at RB mopping every thing behind, and

Cancelo (D, 6.0) at LB doing Cancelo things, with Laporte (D, 5.0) imperious at LCB thus far. There are some risks to selecting these 3 but for now, you back them to play well enough to not get benched for either Stones or Zinchenko. In attack things have been par for the course

since GW2, with Grealish (M, 8.0) at LW, Jesus (F, 8.5) at RW, Ferran (M, 7.5) at CF, Bernardo (M, 7.0) and Gundogan (M, 7.0) at either half-space. Now, there are still KDB (M, 11.0) and Foden (M, 8.0), their top CL performers last season, to come; Sterling and Mahrez as well.

This is all guesswork, but Pep recently said he wants at least one player on the wing to play on the side of their strongest foot. So far Jesus is that player at RW. He hasn't been that great for City at CF and Ferran is getting better there so let's assume Jesus RW, Ferran CF.

If Jesus or Sterling is RW it's a lot easier for Pep to place the other 4 attackers. If Mahrez or Bernardo is RW then the LW has to be a left-footer like Foden or either of these 2, so that means Grealish plays CM or he is benched. KDB can play CM or CF. Gundogan is strictly a CM

Also, to add to the confusion, Bernardo has been incredible and he himself can play across the front 5. It's literally impossible to know what Pep has in store with KDB and Foden healthy again. He can't possibly bench Grealish (the 100m man), KDB (his captain), or Bernardo (form)

Let's say those three are in the front 5 vs Leipzig. Then you have 2 spots left, and Pep can throw any 2 in there. Gundogan and Foden? KDB CF, Foden LW, Bernardo RW. Jesus and Ferran? Ferran CF, Jesus RW, Grealish LW. Mahrez and Sterling? Mahrez RW, Bernardo LW, Sterling CF.

That's 15 lineups with the 3 positions fixed. Imagine if Pep is willing to bench Grealish or Bernardo or both. Absolute nightmare. In conclusion, I'd say for now, Grealish (M, 8.0) and Ferran (M, 7.5) are my preferred options as both offer things that are different to the team.

Grealish with 'la pausa' and Ferran with his off-ball movement, sense of goal, and midfield link play as a 9.

PARIS SAINT GERMAIN

They had what was one of the best transfer windows of all time, bolstering both FB spots as well as every key position in their spine. We haven't seen the MNM trio, Ramos (injury) and Nuno Mendes yet but so far PSG are heavy favorites to get the Big Ears.

The fact that they are facing Brugge in MD1 makes it even more of a no-brainer to get their players. Plenty of options on offer here. In defense Keylor Navas has started the first 4 games while Gigio started the last one. It remains to be seen what Poch plans to do at GK.

Still, Navas (G, 5.0) is top class and he was one of PSG's top CL performers last season until the 1st leg of the SF against City. It looks like he's favored, for now, over Gigio and if he keeps playing well, which he is perfectly capable, I can't see him being dropped in the CL.

That price tag might be worth a gamble if you have not already loaded up on 3 other Parisiens.

It's no coincidence that PSG looked a horror show in defense over the first 3 games without Marquinhos (D, 5.5) and kept 2/2 CS with him. He's so damn good, not only at BR (7 p90) but

also at scoring goals. It remains to be seen how good PSG's defense will be with Hakimi and MNM in the team, but the quality of Marquinhos and whoever the GK is will give them a good shout at a CS every game. Hakimi (D, 6.5) needed little time to make an impact for PSG right away

and what's impressive is that his xG90 is still as good as when he played for Inter and BVB, while his xA90 is better; all of this while playing at RB (not RWB) and without Messi at RW to open the flank for him. He's gotten 1G 2A in 5 games and will only get better with MNM.

If Poch decides to play 3atb with 2 holding mids? Hakimi will be at his natural habitat - RWB. He's awesome no matter what, and with Diallo covering at LB while Nuno Mendes is getting up to speed, he's going to be Hakimi even in a back 4 against top teams. Great option.

In midfield, Gini was signed to give the team more dynamism in the middle. The person who is doing that right now is actually Herrera (M, 5.5). He has had 3G 2A in 4 starts this season though his role now with MNM in the team is unclear. He also got over 6 BRp90 last year in CL.

Surely Poch can't drop him now, especially after his brace against previously undefeated Clermont? Either he gets BR playing holding mid or he is likely to contribute to a goal playing more B2B. Intriguing option. And finally the main event, PSG's fearsome front 3 of MNM.

Messi (F, 11.0) is 0.5 higher than the other two. We haven't seen all 3 together, but it's likely that Neymar is on the left, Mbappe is up top and Messi is on the right. All three are very versatile, and the key things to separate them as fantasy options are SPs and their usages.

Mbappe took all headlines with his hattrick against Barca last year but overall it's very close between him and Neymar (61 vs 54pts in 160 more mins). This is because Neymar was the SP guy and had more usage with the ball than Mbappe last season (they played 8/12 games together).

With Messi in the fold it remains to be seen how the SP is shared between him and Neymar, they might split them or someone is going to take all of them. This can potentially decrease Neymar's route to points, though the sheer amount of the SPs might be enough for both of them.

As for usages, of course great players will figure it out and the 3 can compliment each other - all 3 can function as creator or finisher; but Messi surely is going to be the engine for this attack because of his caliber? Mbappe is not remotely interested in signing a new deal,

and Neymar is willing to do what it takes to win the CL for PSG. So imo it's Messi = Mbappe > Neymar for now, the gap between Messi and Mbappe is very close, and closer to the gap between Mbappe and Neymar. In any case, as they play Brugge, 1 of them is surely a must?

RB LEIPZIG

They have lost Nagelsmann, Upamecano and Sabitzer to Bayern, while also saw Konate leaving. They essentially replaced them with Marsch, an up-and-coming coach from Salzburg, Simakan, Gvardiol, and Moriba, while also adding Andre Silva to the attack. Looks impressive,

but Marsch is still trying to put together results with the embarrassment of riches of players at his disposal. Therefore it's not easy to predict what he'll trot out from now on, except that it will be a back 4 formation with a CB pairing of Orban (D, 5.0) and Simakan (D, 4.5).

Simakan's profile looks primed for BR though CS are hard to come by in this group. Angelino (D, 5.5) in a back 4 is not ideal and Marsch has Gvardiol ready to play there or Klostermann/Henrichs can shift over. Don't pick him until we see more from this team.

Andre Silva (F, 9.0) is struggling a bit in the new team; it didn't help that he played against Wolfsburg and Bayern the last 2 games. He's on pens and is the focal point of the attack, but can Marsch get the team up to speed quickly enough for him to be a viable pick soon?

All 3 of Olmo (M, 7.5), Nkunku (M, 7.5), and Szoboszlai (M, 7.0) deserve to start. They are all 10s though, and if this 4231 is not working, Marsch might drop one of them to put a striker in for his 4222. Basically this Leipzig team is a wait-and-see, despite their obvious talent

CLUB BRUGGE

Such a tough draw for them, which evens out their draw last season. Only 2 players I'm considering are Lang (M, 6.5) and De Ketelaere (M, 6.0). Both will be CFs in a 3atb, and De Ketelaere plays CF while Lang moves to LW in a 4atb.

Group B: LIVERPOOL

VVD and Matip back fit is huge for this team. The depth in attack and in goal is a concern, but this is a team capable of going up against anybody with their strongest XI. VVD's absence was keenly felt last season up and down the pitch. Without him, Liverpool

couldn't press as aggressively, lost a SP threat in both boxes, lost a source of long pass which often resulted in pressing chances for goals, and lost a leader who organized the backline. Fabinho at CB made Liverpool weaker in winning 2nd balls. The FBs couldn't bomb forward.

I can't emphasize how important VVD is to this Liverpool side. The defense is now elite again with him; Alisson (D, 6.0), Trent (D, 6.5), Robbo (D, 6.5), VVD himself (D, 6.0) and Matip (D, 5.0) all viable options. With how the prices shook out, Trent must be the stand-out pick

as he has looked like himself so far this season, creating chances for absolute fun (leading PL by far in xA). VVD and Matip are fine picks as well, VVD carries a huge goal threat while Matip is so cheap for a starting Liverpool defender.

Fabinho (M, 5.5) should now be at his best position - DM - to gobble up BR. He had over 9 p90 last season with a few games playing as a CB. Question is do you have enough Liverpool slots to fit him in? The front 3 for now is Mane (M, 10.0), Salah (M, 10.5) and Jota (F, 8.0).

But Jota's place will be under threat once Firmino comes back which is soon. At least with Elliott hurt, Klopp has few options he can trust up there, and should play Jota more often than not. Salah might have the edge in G+A numbers and penalty duty but Mane is better in xG in PL

although Mane has been underperforming his xG for the past year. We'll see if the regression to the mean happens in the CL for Mane but for now, Salah is my, and probably for most, preferred pick in the Liverpool attack. This is not an easy group to score in but it's Salah.

ATLETICO MADRID

Still probably the best team in Spain right now. Their squad is surely the best compared to the 2 giants, thanks to a great transfer window where they signed Griezmann, Cunha and RDP to the team while losing just Saul, a squad player nowadays for Simeone.

The 352 / 343 that Simeone came up last year is so balanced; it's still perplexing to me to this day why he abandoned it to play 6atb against Chelsea last season and then a 442 in the 2nd leg. In this system, Atleti still defends well while being quite dangerous in attack.

Figuring out who plays where in their strongest CL XI will be tough. Though I think Hermoso (D, 4.5) is indispensable at LCB with his ball-playing skills and can play LB if the team need more attackers on the pitch. Koke is assured of a place in the midfield.

Savic (D, 4.5) if not suspended will be in defense too, then Gimenez is usually preferred to Felipe. Then there are LM, RM and the 4 other players in the middle. Llorente (M, 6.0) is surely in and he can play any of these positions save for CF and LM. Llorente at SS/CAM is worlds

more useful for fantasy than Llorente at CM/RM, which are where he has been lining up for Atleti this season with all these attacking talents. Suarez should be at CF but not set in stone due to his advancing age, though he's still the best goal getter in this team.

4 spots left, Griezmann with his talent and his fit in a 2 striker system should probably be in at SS or CAM. With Hermoso back to cover, Simeone can put Carrasco, who has been playing very well, at LM, though he can shake it up and play Carrasco up top as well. RDP and Lemar

should complete the lineup as CMs, though Simeone can go without them and instead use Kondogbia, and either Trippier (to move Llorente higher), Correa who has been bang in form, or Felix/Cunha (Llorente then goes to RM). I haven't even mentioned Lodi or Herrera yet.

Yeah this team is stacked. Hard to find good options when we haven't seen much how the new signings fit into the current squad. For now Suarez (F, 9.5) is the safest pick, then next safest should be Carrasco (M, 7.0), who should be good anywhere, and Llorente (M, 6.0).

PORTO:

Very well drilled 442 from Sergio Conceicao and should give everyone in this group a game. They kept a fair few CS in their easy group last season and defended resolutely against Juve on their way to the QF. Not sure they can repeat that this year though.

The price hikes and their opening 2 games make it hard to invest in any of their players despite how good the team they are. Playing in Day 2 won't help either.

AC MILAN:

This is a well-coached side under Pioli. They have been a top 4 Serie A team ever since he took over in 2019. They bring to this group a top-flight defense from Serie A with Maignan a good replacement for Donnarumma and Tomori being signed permanently.

The first two matchups are a killer though. I'd say only Kessie (M, 5.5) is feasible. He has a very well-rounded skillset as a midfielder and scored plenty of pens for Milan last season even with Ibrahimovic and Calhanoglu on the pitch.

Group C: BORUSSIA DORTMUND

BVB is the best team in this group and should warrant heavy investment, particularly in attack. They have scored as many goals as Bayern in the Bundesliga this season, and the defense should improve with players back from injury.

The new signing Kobel (G, 4.5) came in to stabilize a problematic position for the team ever since Weidenfeller hung his boots. His fantasy price is quite kind. Hummels (D, 5.0) is really good value with his BR prowess and SP threat well-known. Guerreiro (D, 6.0) is at LB,

his attacking and SP threat well known though he won't have Sancho on the left to link up with any more. New Trainer Rose has been using a Diamond for the team thus far which puts Bellingham (M, 7.0) in a position that best showcases his B2B prowess. He will trickle in points.

Marco Reus (M, 8.0) is another benefactor of this formation, as he is capable of playing SS or CAM. He has had healthy NPxG and xA numbers so far this season. But the man of the hour must be Haaland (F, 11). He's been a devastating scorer and now has shown link-up ability with

his teammates. He can run a counter-attack on his own. He is not that great at heading but scored a header at the weekend. He's on pens. He scored the most goals in the CL last year despite being out in the QF. He can score even if the team is not playing well (Sevilla R16 2nd).

What a player he is man. Don't make a mistake of not having him in the team! He's the sun around which my solar system of a squad is built around, hence my rambling about Day 1 captains because there's no prize in guessing who my Day 2 captain is.

AJAX:

Still a free scoring side with just a goal conceded so far in Eredivisie after 4 games. The attack should translate to Europe while the defense is not as bad as some might think. They should do well in this group.

In defense I really like the look of Mazraoui (D, 4.5). He's had 1G 2A in 4 Eredivisie this season while getting over 8 BR p90 last CL campaign. Think about Tagliafico of old but cheaper, that's the Moroccan man. Only caveat is his injury record.

Edson Alvarez (M, 4.5) is another enabler for our fantasy teams. His fbref profile and his limited minutes last season suggest he's going to be a decent BR guy too. Another guy to build your team around so you can afford your dream front line!

And then there are Tadic and Haller (F, 8.5). Since joining Ajax last year, Haller has played lone 9 with Tadic moving out to LW. He has 15G 6A in 23 Eredivisie games, vast majority with Tadic on the pitch. Tadic himself turned into more of a creator, with 7G 16A in 24.

Tadic has pens in his locker too so he has a smallest of edge. Haller doesn't miss many games but if he does, Tadic should be amazing as a F9. Ajax have a lot of attacking talents like Antony, Berghuis, or Neres so even if Tadic is not available somehow, Haller should still get

his goals. In any case, both are worth considering in this open group.

SPORTING CP:

By far the best team in Portugal last season, riding a strong defense and Pote's Golden Boot breakout season to the title. Losing Nuno Mendes surely hurts but Vinagre is a capable replacement. Sarabia should also be a boost to their attack as well.

Their strong defense has mostly continued where they left off last term with 3 goals conceded in 5 Liga Portugal games. Against Porto at the weekend the only shot on target Sporting allowed was the wonder goal by Luis Diaz. Plenty of fantasy options on offer here.

GK Adan (G, 4.5), CB Feddal (D, 4.5), flying WBs Vinagre (D, 5.0) and Pedro Porro (D, 4.5) all viable; Pedro Porro's MOTM performance against Porto should be enough to fend off Esgaio for a while. He's my personal favorite in this defense.

Palhinha (M, 5.0) is another enabler type of asset. His ball-winning ability was key to Sporting's title run last season and he has improved in attack too, grabbing 2G in 5 league games this season. With Pote hurt no other attackers intrigue me really.

BESIKTAS

Reinforced their title-winning team with quality additions in the form of Pjanic and Batshuayi. They have yet to concede in 4 Super Lig games. Can be a dark horse in this group.

Destanoglu (G, 4.0) is their starting GK and yes, I'm trying to build my team around him! Which is why it's likely that my other GK is going to be from Day 1, and why I mentioned that I wanted someone with a good MD1 fixture to rotate with the 20-year-old.

In defense, Welinton (D, 4.0) is another enabler and his starting spot is more secure with Vida's injury. RB Rosier (D, 4.5) supplied 7A in 30 games last season. In attack, with Pjanic in the fold, I really like RW Ghezzal (M, 5.5), and CF Batshuayi (F, 5.5).

Ghezzal got 8G 18A last season which prompted Besiktas to sign him permanently. Meanwhile Batshuayi looked good playing with Pjanic in the weekend game against Yeni Malatyaspor. Tougher tests to come but Batshuayi surely is the cheapest feasible striker in the fantasy game.

Group D: REAL MADRID

Quite a different team this season with Ancelotti at the helm replacing Zidane, Ramos and Varane leaving with Alaba and Camavinga signing for the team. We all remembered how attacking Madrid was when Don Carlo was last there. It's happening again.

They currently have by far the best attack in La Liga. The consequence is that their defensive solidity under Zidane has disappeared, the xGC of 5.46 being better than just 5 teams. Don Carlo's attack-minded philosophy is working so far - Madrid are leading La Liga - let's see if

he dials it back to reinforce the defense which is already compromised from the CB departures. The Inter matchups bookend the GS so the run in the middle should be fruitful for Madrid attackers: Benzema (F, 10.0) in particular who has posted a ridiculous 5G 4A in just 4 games!

He should also be 1st in line for pens after Ramos' departure. Part of the reason Benzema has so many assists is the emergence of Vini Jr (F, 8.0). The Brazilian trickster has been underperforming his xG for 3 years straight under Zidane, and now is scoring goals for fun.

His NPxG trailed only Inaki in La Liga and Inaki has played 130 mins more than him. It feels like Benzema-Vini Jr are the Kane-Son of Madrid 21/22 attack; one striker who drops deep, playmakes, gets loads of goals including pens, other attacker who runs onto space, receives

passes from the striker, and can get goals out of nothing. Looking forward to this partnership this season as the RW position continues to be in flux. It's a wait-and-see for their defense with the MD1 matchup but so far Carvajal (D, 5.0) stands out as his spot is the most secure

of all the non-Alaba folks. Ancelotti has used the Austrian man in both LB and CB spots this season so when Mendy comes back, it will be interesting to see if Nacho or Militao has to make way.

INTERNAZIONALE:

Suffered a massive talent exodus as their best players, Hakimi and Lukaku, plus their head coach Conte, all left. Meanwhile Eriksen suffered an unfortunate injury at the EUROs. Dumfries, Dzeko, Calhanoglu, J. Correa and head coach S. Inzaghi all arrived

to replace/reinforce the team. S. Inzaghi is a back 3 man and so the team has looked quite similar to last season. They have started quite strongly, scoring the most goals in Serie A; their defensive core remains intact and is still doing good. He should make Inter a better side

in Europe than his predecessor who can't qualify to R16 with Inter while he did it with Lazio last season. In defense there's Handanovic (G, 5.5) while the new signing Dumfries is still waiting for his chance at the RM spot, currently occupied by Darmian (D, 5.0).

Although Darmian can shift to the left side to accommodate him, as seen in the last 20 mins of the weekend game vs Sampdoria. The LM spot is Perisic's but he's not completed 90 mins in any game yet. De Vrij (D, 5.0) is another great option with 8.33 BRp90 last CL campaign.

In attack, so far Dzeko (F, 7.5) is the main man up front with J. Correa and Lautaro sharing the minutes next to him, canceling each other's fantasy prospect. You can see why as no one else in the squad can offer what Dzeko does in winning headers, linking with others, basically

what Lukaku used to do although Lukaku was much more mobile in transition. Supporting the strikers in midfield are Barella (M, 7.0) - 3A so far - and Calhanoglu (M, 8.5) - 1G 1A. Will be interesting to see who's on pens for Inter now, particularly if Lautaro is not on the pitch.

SHAKHTAR:

Were a defense-first team in the GS last season but managed to nick an Europa spot in a tough group. De Zerbi's arrival should make them a more consistent threat on the other end of the pitch too after his fabulous job at Sassuolo, having transformed them

into a side playing attractive football and comfortably 8th best in Serie A. Still early days though and Shakhtar can do better, currently trailing Dynamo Kyiv in the league and got outplayed by Monaco in Qualifying only to escape narrowly.

The expected front 3 of CF Lassina Traore (F, 6.5), LW Tete (M, 6.5), and RW Pedrinho (M, 6.0) is tasty given their age and potential. Tete is on pens and has pedigree from last season but so far Traore has been banging in the goals. Decent options.

SHERIFF TIRASPOL:

Great story going from 1st Round Qualifying to the Group Stage, being the 1st Moldovan team to do so. If they are going to surprise it's likely Castaneda (M, 6.0), who had 28G 14A in 35 games last season in Divizia Nationala, will be involved. He's on pens too.

In summary, here are my top options from Day 2. Starred means my personal favorite.

Goalkeepers:
Courtois 6
Ederson 6*
Alisson 6*
Handanovic 5.5
Navas 5*
Maignan 5
Adan 4.5*
Kobel 4.5*
Pyatov 4.5
Diogo Costa 4.5
Destanoglu 4*** <= Pick him!!

Defenders:
Trent 6.5*
Robbo 6.5
Hakimi 6.5*
Guerreiro 6*
Dias/Cancelo 6*
VVD 6*
Theo 5.5
Marquinhos 5.5*
Vinagre 5
Gimenez 5*
Matip 5*
Hummels 5*
Darmian 5*
De Vrij 5
Carvajal 5
Laporte 5*
Feddal 4.5*
Rosier 4.5
Pedro Porro 4.5*
Hermoso 4.5*
Mazraoui 4.5*
Calabria 4.5
Welinton 4*

Midfielders:
Salah 10.5*
Mane 10
Calhanoglu 8.5
Grealish 8
Reus 8*
Rebic 7.5
Ferran 7.5*
Bernardo Silva 7
Carrasco 7*
Bellingham 7*
Tete 6.5
Lang 6.5
Castaneda 6
Brahim 6
Pedrinho 6
De Ketelaere 6
Llorente 6*
Kessie 5.5*
Ghezzal 5.5
Herrera 5.5*
Palhinha 5*
Alvarez 4.5*** <= him!

Forwards:
Haaland 11*** <= must-have!
Messi 11*
Mbappe 10.5*
Neymar 10.5*
Benzema 10*
Suarez 9.5
Tadic 8.5*
Haller 8.5*
Vini Jr 8*
Jota 8
Dzeko 7.5*
Lassina Traore 6.5*
Batshuayi 5.5*

Here is my schedule sheet with personal FDR. Been helpful with looking at fixtures when planning to use chips.

And here is my draft for now. Lots to think about until the early kickoff