Champions League Fantasy MD4: Best Players to Pick This Week
The UEFA Champions League returns this week with Matchday 4 of the league phase, as Europe's biggest clubs prepare for another round of exciting fixtures. With matches taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday, teams will be looking to strengthen their positions as the competition moves closer to its halfway point.
There are plenty of interesting fixtures to look forward to, including Barcelona against Aston Villa, Atletico Madrid versus Bayern Munich and Manchester United 's meeting with AS Roma. Paris Saint-Germain will also travel to face Villarreal, while Liverpool and Real Madrid have away fixtures against Fenerbahce and AEK Athens respectively.
For UCL Fantasy managers, this is another opportunity to make smart selections and bring in players who can deliver valuable points. Recent performances, attacking contributions, defensive records and the difficulty of each fixture will all be important factors when deciding who deserves a place in your squad.
With that in mind, we look at some of the best players to consider for Champions League Matchday 4, highlighting options who could make a difference to your fantasy team's points total. Goalkeeper David Raya (Arsenal vs Slavia Prague) David Raya is a strong option in goal after keeping two clean sheets in his first three Champions League appearances.
The Arsenal goalkeeper has played every minute of the competition so far and will enter Matchday 4 in good form after helping his side secure a 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday. Raya did not have to make a save in that match, but he played his part in another important clean sheet.
Defenders Sergino Dest (PSV Eindhoven vs Club Brugge) PSV Eindhoven's meeting with Club Brugge presents an interesting opportunity to consider Sergino Dest. The American defender offers plenty going forward and is capable of contributing to attacking moves from the right side.
He has played all 270 minutes of PSV's Champions League campaign and has already scored once. His attacking involvement, combined with his potential to collect points through defensive actions, makes him an appealing option for Matchday 4.
Virgil van Dijk (Fenerbahce vs Liverpool) Liverpool will be looking for a response when their captain leads them out against Fenerbahce after Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Anfield. Despite the result, Van Dijk produced a solid individual performance, making several important interceptions and blocks to prevent the visitors from extending their lead.
The Dutch international will now be expected to organise the defence and help his side return to winning ways in Istanbul. He also offers fantasy potential through clearances, interceptions and ball recoveries, while his aerial ability gives him another route to attacking returns.