Champions League Fantasy Football: What the numbers say

Ahead of UEFA Champions League Matchday 6, UEFA.com studies the statistics to find out which players are predicted for big points hauls on #UCLfantasy, presented by Playstation.

Predicting which Fantasy players are going to perform on any given matchday is a difficult task. Through crunching the numbers, a projected points total for each player has been calculated based on the player's historical performance in the UEFA Champions League. Goals, assists, clean sheets and the likelihood of playing are the major parameters used in our projections.

The top projected players for each position for Matchday 6 are given below. As ever, check latest team news and UEFA.com's possible line-ups article before making your final selection.

GOALKEEPERS

The top four goalkeepers in the Matchday 6 projections could all play a major role in where their respective sides finish in the group, with Inter's Yann Sommer projected to score the most points, although Gregor Kobel of Dortmund has picked up more Fantasy points than any other player in his position.

Given the injury to first-choice Marc-André ter Stegen, Barcelona understudy Iñaki Peña should get another opportunity on Matchday 6. The Catalan side visit Antwerp, who have scored just three goals in the first five games of their debut Champions League campaign.

DEFENDERS

With just one goal conceded in their last four Champions League games, Real Sociedad defenders Aihen Muñoz and Igor Zubeldia are championed by the algorithm, while Dortmund duo Mats Hummels and Nico Schlotterbeck also feature despite a tough Group F fixture against Paris.

In the same group, Kieran Trippier could play a key role as Newcastle seek victory against Milan. The Magpies kept a clean sheet in the reverse fixture on Matchday 1, and Trippier has added an assist, 30 ball recoveries and a Player of the Match award in Europe this season.

Attacking returns have also been recorded by João Cancelo, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Rico Lewis, Mykola Matviyenko and Dávid Hancko in the Champions League, although Fantasy managers should be wary of rotation for some of those players.

MIDFIELDERS

Although Manchester City are already guaranteed to finish top of Group G, their current injury situation may dictate that Phil Foden is required against Crvena zvezda. The England international has scored 35 points across his last three Champions League appearances, 17 of those coming against Leipzig on Matchday 5.

Manchester United, meanwhile, have no choice but to go for the win against Bayern, so Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho – who both found the net on Matchday 5 – have caught the attention of the algorithm, while João Mário and Hakim Ziyech also produced significant hauls last time out, for Benfica and Galatasaray respectively.

With passage to the round of 16 already secured for Real Madrid, Leipzig and Arsenal, the threat of rotation looms over Jude Bellingham, Xavi Simons and Bukayo Saka, but they remain excellent Fantasy options should they feature on Matchday 6.

FORWARDS

Antoine Griezmann was named Player of the Match when Atlético de Madrid and Lazio faced each other on Matchday 1, and with the Frenchman having scored four times in the group stage, he is the highest projected forward. Strike partner Álvaro Morata, who has five goals in Group E, is close behind.

With three goals in the last two matchdays, differential striker Loïs Openda is a strong Matchday 6 option as Leipzig host Young Boys, while Lazio's Ciro Immobile is likely to start against Atlético de Madrid after scoring twice from the bench last time out in the Champions League.

Erling Haaland and Gabriel Jesus are the two highest Fantasy points scorers among forwards, but due to possible rotation, Rasmus Højlund, Kylian Mbappé and Lautaro Martínez represent somewhat safer picks for Fantasy managers as the group stage comes to a close.