This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Soccer series.
MATCHES (EDT)
- 3:00 pm: Juventus vs. Lyon
- 3:00 pm: Manchester City vs. Real Madrid
For detailed stats and odds, check out the
FORWARDS/MIDFIELDERS
Cristiano Ronaldo, JUV v. LYON ($22): Ronaldo has the best odds to score on the slate and Juventus are in a situation in which they need goals. Some will look at the first leg when Ronaldo had zero fantasy points, but no one on Juve had a good match as they failed to get a shot on target. Lyon most recently held PSG scoreless in a Cup match, but their back line has been shaky this season and if they sit back, that could lead to a better floor for Ronaldo and his teammates. Ronaldo closed the league season with 10 goals and two assists in his final 11 starts. He had at least two shots on goal in 10 of those matches, racking up 27 shots on goal and 14 chances created in that period. He's rested after a long season and Juve need to score, which means he should be involved. Paulo Dybala ($19) would be a nice stacking piece if he starts because he'll be on set pieces, while everyone else on Juve is mostly reliant on goals, like Gonzalo Higuain ($17).
Kevin De Bruyne, MCI v. MAD ($22): De Bruyne is who separated these teams in the first meeting as he scored and assisted in a 2-1 win. The main worry with using Man City players is that they're up one goal and Real Madrid will be pressing for goals, especially since Man City scored twice in Spain. Then again, that could lead to numerous counter opportunities for City. Gabriel Jesus ($18) is cheaper and has better odds to score, but you're almost relying on a goal from him to hit value. De Bruyne could have a floor near 20 fantasy points from chances created to go with similar upside. If you're going by the odds, you can roster Ronaldo and De Bruyne, but your fourth attacker will likely be a defensive midfielder. And, as usual, anyone in the Man City attack is viable because Raheem Sterling ($21) has as much upside as anyone in the game and everyone has a chance to get on the score-sheet, like Riyad Mahrez ($17), Phil Foden ($15) or David Silva ($14). If you wanted to save money, the cheaper attacking players like Foden or Silva are logical routes whether you're in cash or GPP.
Toni Kroos, MAD at MCI ($18): In order to advance, Real Madrid need at least two goals. The downside with Kroos is that he's had no upside in recent league matches, failing to surpass 10 fantasy points in his last eight appearances. My thought is that in addition to being rested, Real Madrid could stay on the attacking end all match and that could lead to a lot of set pieces, which turn into chances created for Kroos. Karim Benzema ($20) is the clear goal scorer and probably the guy you want in GPP because he's also in play for a brace. That said, Benzema relies heavily on goals and doesn't have as much of a floor as Kroos, even though the latter doesn't get a ton of shots on target. Otherwise, everyone is in play for Los Blancos because Eden Hazard ($17) comes at a discount after an up-and-down season, and whoever else starts on the attacking line is mostly reliant on goals (Rodrygo, $15; Vinicius Junior, $16).
Bruno Guimaraes, LYON at JUV ($9): If you go heavy on expensive players, Guimaraes is an option to help fill out the squad. He has just three league starts for Lyon after coming over from Brazil, but he went the full 90 in their recent Cup match against PSG. In addition to possibly racking up defensive stats because Juve will put everything into the attack, Guimaraes created five chances in his three league starts, so upside is possible. If, for some reason, you think Lyon will score multiple goals, they have plenty of options to go after in GPPs, led by Memphis Depay ($18), who is healthy again. A similar move to Guimaraes would be Fernando Marcal ($8), who comes in oddly cheap and listed as a midfielder despite having played as a left-back and center-back all season. He had a floor of 27.5 points in the first meeting as a center-back and no matter his position, he should have a higher floor than a lot of midfielders due to defensive stats.
DEFENDERS
Danilo, JUV v. LYON ($8): Danilo is the cheapest potential starting defender and that's about all he has going for him. As a full-back, his floor is mostly inconsistent, but it's been slightly better in Champions League play against better competition. He has at least 7.5 fantasy points in five UCL starts, and no matter what happens in Friday's match, he should come near those numbers with hopefully some upside if he gets forward. That could give Danilo some upside compared to Leonardo Bonucci ($9), who is unlikely to see much defensive work as a center-back.
Eric Garcia, MCI v. MAD ($8): With just four teams playing, there aren't a ton of defensive options and it doesn't help that someone like Marcal is listed as a midfielder. If Garcia starts, he'll probably be slightly more popular than Danilo, mainly because he's a center-back and should be set for tons of action if Real Madrid attack as expected. Similar to Danilo, Garcia doesn't have a guaranteed floor and there's a chance he has just five fantasy points. Either way, fellow center-back Aymeric Laporte ($14) is much more expensive and not worth the price. Otherwise, I'd go after the Lyon center-backs (Marcelo, $11; Jason Denayer, $10) if you have the money because Juventus should control possession in that matchup.
GOALKEEPER
Wojciech Szczesny, JUV v. LYON ($13): I'm taking the easy route with Szczesny because he has the best odds to win and hold a clean sheet. After Lyon won the first meeting, it's likely they'll try to sit back and hold on for a scoreless draw. That won't lead to many saves (if any) for Szczesny, but the possibility for 17 points from a win and clean sheet is worth it. The other move is to go with Anthony Lopes ($7) and hope Lyon secure another clean sheet or he racks up saves. The other match is expected to be more open because Real Madrid need two goals, so I'd stay away from both goalkeepers.
