The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League (UCL) begins on Tuesday – and so does the competition’s official Fantasy game.
Unlike in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), where it’s hands-off management after the deadline passes, there are changes UCL Fantasy managers can make midway through a Matchday, including captaincy.
Below, we’ve put together a guide to the league phase calendar so you can see who the best armband candidates are every day.
DAY-BY-DAY CAPTAINCY PICKS: MATCHDAY 1
TUESDAY 17 SEPTEMBER
Harry Kane (€10.5m) is currently the fourth highest-owned player in UCL Fantasy, with 30% ownership.
And with Bayern Munich at home to Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday, he is a very strong captaincy candidate.
The 31-year-old scored his fifth Bundesliga hat-trick against Holstein Kiel on Saturday, and crucially, was the joint-top scorer in last season’s UEFA Champions League with eight goals.
An equally attractive captain choice is Kylian Mbappe (€11.0m).
Real Madrid enter the competition as defending champions and have since added the Frenchman to their ranks.
At home to Stuttgart on Tuesday, they will fancy their chances.
As for Mbappe, he completed the scoring as Real Madrid won 2-0 at Real Sociedad on Saturday, with four goals in six appearances for the Spanish giants.
WEDNESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER
The standout pick is, of course, Erling Haaland (€11.0m).
The Norwegian striker already has nine goals in four Premier League games, so it’s no surprise he is currently the second highest-owned player in UCL Fantasy, with 55% ownership.
It’s a potentially tricky home clash against Inter on Wednesday, but Manchester City are the favourites to win this season’s UEFA Champions League, making Haaland an attractive captain.
If you fancy a differential, last season’s semi-finalists Paris Saint-Germain host Girona.
Bradley Barcola (€7.0m) has already plundered four goals in four games this term, while team-mate Ousmane Dembele (€7.0m) has chipped in with three goals and provided a further three assists.
THURSDAY 19 SEPTEMBER
Lamine Yamal (€7.5m) currently features in more UCL Fantasy teams than any other player, with 60% ownership.
The 17-year-old wonderkid has recorded three goals and four assists in five La Liga appearances in 2024/25.
Furthermore, Barcelona are in great form, with five wins from five in the league under Hansi Flick.
A trip to Monaco on Thursday presents another opportunity for Yamal to showcase his talents, making him a top captain candidate.
Barcelona team-mate Robert Lewandowski (9.5m) is another standout name to consider.
Some may even be tempted by Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Alejandro Grimaldo (€5.5m), who racked up a remarkable 12 goals and 20 assists in 51 club appearances last season.
His opponents, Feyenoord, have endured a tough start under new coach Brian Priske, having managed just one win and three draws in four Eredivisie games.
DAY-BY-DAY CAPTAINCY PICKS: MATCHDAY 2-8
Looking further ahead, here’s a briefer look at some of the most eye-catching fixtures and captains in Matchdays 2-8.
Plenty can change between now and then, of course.
However, for planning purposes, here are some of the best options.
Matchday 2
- Tuesday 1 October: Yamal/Lewandowski (Young Boys h), Haaland (Slovan Bratislava a)
- Wednesday 2 October: Salah (Bologna h), Mbappe (Lille a)
Matchday 3
- Tuesday 22 October: Saka (Shakhtar Donetsk h), Barcola/Dembele (PSV Eindhoven h), Gyokeres (Sturm Graz a)
- Wednesday 23 October: Haaland (Sparta Prague h)
Matchday 4
- Tuesday 5 November: Haaland (Sporting a)
- Wednesday 6 November: Kane (Benfica h), Yamal/Lewandowski (Crvena Zvezda a)
Matchday 5
- Tuesday 26 November: Yamal/Lewandowski (Brest h), Haaland (Feyenoord h)
- Wednesday 27 November: This is the trickiest day to navigate, with Liverpool up against Real Madrid at Anfield. A punt on a Borussia Dortmund player against Dinamo might be your best bet.
Matchday 6
- Tuesday 10 December: Salah (Girona a), Kane (Shakhtar Donetsk a)
- Wednesday 11 December: Saka (Monaco h)
Matchday 7
- Tuesday 21 January: Salah (Lille h)
- Wednesday 22 January: Saka (Dinamo h), Mbappe (Salzburg h)
Matchday 8
- Wednesday 29 January: Kane (Slovan Bratislava h), Haaland (Club Brugge h), Mbappe (Brest a)
