Hot topic: #UCLfantasy experts head to head
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Article summary
In the first of our chats for the new UEFA Champions League season, Paul Saffer gathers our three Fantasy Football tipsters to pick their brains as the squad deadline nears.
Article top media content
Article body
Paul Saffer (@UEFAcomPaulS): Hello all and welcome to our first hot topic of the new season. There are 32 teams in the group stage but around 100,000 (and growing) playing UEFA Champions League Fantasy Football. I've gathered our three veteran tipsters, Andrew, Paolo and Vassiliki, for some final advice before we all finalise our squads.
I'll start by asking you all to show your hands (though you can change your teams right up to kick-off on Tuesday). Here's my line-up for Tuesday – Reina; Boateng, Varane, Savić; Delph, Ribéry, Koke, Doumbia; Griezmann (cpt), Ronaldo, Mertens. Keylor Navas, Tah, André Silva and Rose are standing by.
Andrew Haslam (@UEFAcomAndrewH): Júlio César; Kolarov, José María Giménez, Zurzawa, Lisandro, Umiti; Sterling, Carrasco; Luis Suárez (cpt), Dembélé, Agüero.
Vassiliki Papantonopoulou (@UEFAcomVassP): Neuer; Kolarov, Fabinho, Alex Sandro, R. Guerreiro; Rakitić, Khedira, Nolito; Cavani, Suárez, Jiménez. Subs: Bürki, Rafael, Asensio, Ribéry. Let me warn you, though, that I will definitely make changes to include Ronaldo as captain.
Paul Saffer: He's also a candidate for my armband if Griezmann doesn't deliver (friendly warning Antoine) …
Paolo Menicucci (@UEFAcomPaoloM): I will go with Neuer – Felipe, Alaba, Fabinho, Glik; Casemiro, Sterling, Ribéry; Suárez, Cavani, Dybala. Ready to step in are: Lloris, Alex Sandro, Pjaca and André Silva.
Paul: Fine teams – can you tell the nice people at home how you go about picking them? For me it was Ronaldo, then a goalkeeper for each night, then seeing what I had left to spend ...
Andrew: I try to work out which teams and players I think will do well, then pick them.
Paul: That's one strike Andrew, two more and you are out of the game.
Paolo: "Give me a striker who scores goal and a good goalkeeper and I will win games," a famous Italian coach of the 60s – Nereo Rocco – used to say. And I have more or less the same approach when building my team.
Andrew: I start by picking a few budget players, then I see which big name players I think I can afford, then I see what I've got left. So for example I picked a goalkeeper from each night, then I think three defenders, then I looked at which strikers I thought I could afford. Agüero is relatively cheap considering his record, so it's an easy decision for me.
Vassiliki: I browsed a bit through the first couple of matchdays in various league to see if anyone really stands out, then checked out the World Cup qualifiers for the same reason and came up with five or six names. Then I picked goalkeepers for Tuesday and Wednesday and the rest was about doing the best with the cash left. Always, having in my mind that I might make some changes if Ronaldo or Messi played and did well at the weekend.
Paolo: The most fun part of the game, however, is to search for'cheap' players who will be the surprise of the tournament. That's what really makes the difference
Paul: Thinking of Brahimi the other year, with his free-kick prowess that wasn't known outside Portugal, until he started doing it for Porto on matchday one.
At this point I may point everyone in the direction of our team reporters and their tips ...
Andrew: And the potential for last-minute injuries always throws a spanner in the works. For example, I was planning to have Lacazette as my second or third striker – he's got six goals so far this season but he's inconsiderately injured so that went out the window.
Paul: Once we get into the meat of the competition, are you tinkerers? Haven't they changed the rules to make extra non-free transfers more expensive – will that change your thinking?
Andrew: I have previously made two or three changes per matchday, mainly as a result of gambles that don't come off. That might change with the new system, as four points is a lot to lose per extra transfer.
Vassiliki: It's a lot to lose, but I go at it case-by-case. In case of injuries or a player getting out of favour, I make the change.
Paul: You are allowed one free transfer a week obviously.
Vassiliki: It's seldom enough ...
Paolo: I think these changes in the rules can influence also the starting selection as it is important to have players who are more or less sure of a place in the starting line-up for most of the season.
Paul: Some people are never satisfied.
Slightly moving off the selection topic, does fantasy and especially your roles change the way you watch the games – are you cheering for teams who maybe ordinarily you might want to lose?
Vassiliki: Yeah ... Being a hardcore Real Madrid fan, I often feel ashamed when satisfied with a Messi goal ...
Andrew: I don't really, although I do always try to keep an eye on the teams and players I've picked, and I always celebrate a little when they score or keep a clean sheet. You should know there's no containing me on a Champions League matchnight.
Paul: One day we'll release the AndyCam footage we keep of you in the UEFA.com office following your fantasy players on a matchnight.
Paolo: I normally play a Serie A fantasy with friends. The only season I won the league, 'my' Bologna was in Serie B. I don't think it was a coincidence. I tend to overestimate Bologna players... heart v brain :-)
Paul: Maybe it should be like hedging a bet – get the players you don't like in for some sort of consolation.
Paolo: But I'm more 'free' in the Champions League – unfortunately for me and Bologna – so no emotions involved when it comes to make my squad here.
Paul: Hard-nosed calculation, I like it.
Paolo: Champions League football is already exciting enough but fantasy certainly add some more fun. I found myself watching a match and celebrating a goal scored in another stadium ... for fantasy reasons!
Vassiliki: I have found myself getting angry at players for stupid yellow cards (thus deduction of points).
Andrew: I'm also very good at keeping an eye on players who used to be in my team and aren't any more. That's especially frustrating when they score!
Paolo: Same here, Andrew. It seems like my former players always score!
Paul: I'm summarising on commentary for our audio show for Real Madrid v Sporting CP (listen in the UEFA.com MatchCentre from 19:30CEST on Tuesday and Wednesday). So, listeners, tune in to see if I hide my emotions when things go for/against my fantasy team (name: Saffhampton).
OK, we are coming to the end now, a quickfire round – who is your banker for this season, and who is the top bargain?
Andrew: Banker – I think Aguero is great value. Bargain – Pjaca at Juventus perhaps, or Dembélé (Dortmund).
Vassiliki: Banker – Suárez. Bargain – Fabinho, Raúl Jiménez.
Paolo: I will give you a couple of must-have: Monaco's Fabinho, who is a defender in a good defending team but can also play in midfield and takes penalties, is one. Porto's André Silva, who is considered a midfielder for the game, but plays mostly in attack, is the other.
Paul: Thanks all – if you set up your own private leagues with your team, Andrew, Paolo and Vassiliki's teams are automatically added so you can compete with them even if you leave your friends for dust.
Watch our Fantasy Football preview show with Christian Karambeu ...