Champions League Fantasy Football: When and how best to play the Wildcard and Limitless chips

Strategy plays a pivotal role in Champions League Fantasy, and one of the most crucial decisions managers must make is determining the opportune moments to deploy the Wildcard and Limitless chips.

To help with matters, UEFA.com provides an overview of the two chips at the disposal of managers on #UCLfantasy, presented by Playstation.

WILDCARD

Once activated, the Wildcard grants you the freedom to make unlimited player transfers for one matchday, all without incurring any point deductions. Any newly acquired players will remain in your squad beyond the conclusion of the matchday. Additionally, if you've made any transfers leading up to a matchday before triggering your Wildcard, any associated point deductions will be written off.

LIMITLESS

Using the Limitless chip also provides you with unrestricted player transfers for a designated matchday, but it differs from the Wildcard in the following aspects:

• The Limitless chip eliminates any budget constraints, allowing you to select players without concern for their prices when crafting your squad
• Your squad reverts to its pre-Limitless chip state after the matchday ends.

As with the Wildcard, any transfers or point deductions made prior to activating the Limitless chip for that matchday will be cancelled.

WHEN SHOULD THE WILDCARD BE USED?

The Wildcard can only be activated once and can be used at any time except Matchdays 1 and 7, meaning before the start of the group stage and before the round of 16 first legs. That's because Fantasy managers are already granted unlimited free transfers on those matchdays.

The best time to use the Wildcard differs for each manager as a variety of factors need to be taken into account. Injuries, suspensions, or simply a lack of form from your chosen players may require transfers, and if your free transfer allowance cannot resolve these issues, the Wildcard may be the answer.

With Matchdays 3 and 4 involving the same teams facing other home and away, a common approach among Fantasy managers is to use the Wildcard following the completion of Matchday 2. This allows for certain fixtures to be targeted, and with four matchdays still to be played in the group stage, there is plenty of time for the Wildcard to reap benefits.

WHEN SHOULD THE LIMITLESS BE USED?

Like the Wildcard, the Limitless chip can be used at any point except Matchday 1 and Matchday 7.

The optimal time to activate the Limitless chip should be guided in part by the fixtures, as the goal is to maximise your gains by pinpointing a group of matches where premium Fantasy assets can maximise returns.

With Champions League managers typically fielding their strongest players in the first few matchdays of the group stage, an early deployment of the Limitless is a common approach in Fantasy. However, some choose to hold on to the chip until Matchday 6. With this being the final round of games in the group stage, Fantasy managers will know which teams still have something to play for – whether that's top spot in the group, qualifying for the round of 16 or entry into the UEFA Europa League. Selecting players from those teams, or even potentially high-performing differential assets from teams likely to rotate, can really pay off.

WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN ACTIVATING CHIPS?

A useful tip for those activating their chips: aim for a well-balanced selection of players participating on each day of the matchday. This approach provides you with greater flexibility for captaincy changes and also gives you scope to make profitable manual substitutions. Take a close look at the fixture list and ensure you have key options from each day, pre-determining your captain choice in case the need for a change arises.

Keep an eye on UEFA.com for plenty more Fantasy tips in the build-up to the Matchday 1 deadline on 19 September!