Champions League Fantasy Football: Tips for final success

Ahead of the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid, UEFA.com provides a few pointers for managers looking to finish with a flourish on #UCLfantasy, presented by PlayStation.

• Fantasy Team of the Week Matchday 12

Invest in your XI

Unlike on every other matchday, when there are fixtures taking place on different days, #UCLfantasy managers will start and finish with the same team on Matchday 13, providing each selected player takes to the pitch. With that in mind, it is advisable to inject as much cash as possible into your first-choice XI, leaving budget players on the sidelines. For example, if you have an €8m midfielder sitting on your bench, it's worth swapping him out for a cheaper player as it will allow you to upgrade one of your starters.

Given the fact a full squad of 15 players isn't required for the final matchday, #UCLfantasy managers may want to opt against selling some of their budget assets from teams already eliminated from the competition. Doing so will allow transfers and funds to be used more wisely.

Maximise your transfers

There are five free transfers available to managers for the final and it's advisable to use all of them – it's your last chance of the season, after all! Aside from transferring out the high-priced players from the eliminated semi-finalists, don't be afraid to replace players from the finalists if you think there's a better option.

Study the starting line-up

This advice goes for any matchday, of course, but with no opportunity to make changes after the deadline, it's more important than ever when it comes to the final. #UCLfantasy managers have until kick-off on Saturday 28 May to finalise their teams, with the Liverpool and Real Madrid starting line-ups likely to be released an hour or so prior to the deadline.

Reacting to Carlo Ancelotti and Jürgen Klopp's selections could be the difference between winning and losing your mini-leagues, so holding off on transfer decisions for as long as possible is a sensible strategy.

Captain is key

You only get one opportunity to select a skipper this time around, and it could make all the difference to your final tally. Who's been in form in the lead-up to the final? Which players are known for their big-match pedigree? These questions are vital when it comes to selecting where to place your captain's armband.

That decision may well hinge on what your goals are. For example, if you are defending a lead in your mini-league or have a high overall rank, then popular assets like Mohamed Salah and Karim Benzema represent sensible captaincy choices. However, those who need to make big gains on Matchday 13 may want to consider one or two differential options.

Load up or spread the risk?

A maximum of eight players from each team can be selected for the final, so choosing which positions to target for each team is key. This is particularly the case in defence, where #UCLfantasy managers have the option of heavily backing a clean sheet for either Liverpool or Real Madrid.

The last three UEFA Champions League finals have all been rather low-scoring affairs, with one team keeping a clean sheet in each (Liverpool in 2018/19, Bayern in 2019/20 and Chelsea in 2020/21), so loading up on defensive assets from one team could bring in a glut of points if you think this year's final will follow that trend.