Women’s Champions League Fantasy: struggling former world number one reveals his Matchday 5 team!

As we arrive into Matchday 5 of UEFA Women’s Champions League fantasy, I currently sit 163rd in the world leaderboard, a hugely disappointing drop after having been in top spot at the start of Matchday 3.

Matchday 4 was always going to be a difficult one for me having burned all my chips but I still would’ve hoped for significantly more than the pitiful 42 points that I ended up with. Only two players across my entire squad recorded at least one attacking return, whilst none of my five defenders contributed clean sheets.

If it weren’t for my Atletico Madrid assets coming in clutch, I’d have suffered from even worse embarrassment. Midfielder Fiamma was comfortably my top scorer with 12 fantasy points after her goal, assist and four ball recoveries helped Atletico to a 0-4 win away at Twente. Goalkeeper Lola Gallardo’s clean sheet was also a welcome bonus, she’s now kept two clean sheets for me over the course of this season.

So, after the nightmare that was Matchday 4, here is my UWCL fantasy MD5 squad as it stands as I try to stem the bleeding that is my overall rank. Whether this squad remains the same come the start of the matchday is contingent on team news leading up to the transfer deadline.

MD5 Team Reveal

Goalkeepers

Livia Peng (€3.9m) - I’ve managed to find myself stuck with two goalkeepers playing on the same night, meaning I’m forced to choose just one of them to feature for me this matchday. Peng will get the nod with the easier fixture of Roma at home, the Italians having scored just one goal across their last three European games.

Lola Gallardo (€5.0m) - Despite having performed excellent for me across the course of this campaign, Gallardo will remain on the bench for Matchday 5 with Atletico facing a tricky home clash against Bayern Munich. It’s worth noting that both her shutouts so far have come on the road.

Defenders

Maya Le Tissier (€5.5m) - Still an ever-present despite not hitting the heights of the opening two matchdays. Being on penalties remains a hugely attractive fantasy trait and with first-choice goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce back from injury, Man Utd should at least prove tougher to score against, although they take on stiff opposition in the form of OL Lyonnes.

Giulia Gwinn (€5.0m) - A terrible signing so far from a fantasy perspective, Bayern full-back Gwinn has registered just eight fantasy points in three games since coming into my team. But with other more pressing fires to put out, she is unlikely to be moved for this matchday.

Janou Levels (€5.0m) - Despite Wolfsburg scoring five goals against Man Utd last time out, they conceded twice, which left Levels on just two fantasy points with four ball recoveries. Again, she’s an asset that could escape the chop due to other more lucrative areas of the squad which need addressing. Wolfsburg travel to Real Madrid.

Millie Bright (€5.0m) - Despite having not played in Chelsea’s last two Women’s Champions League games, I’m confident that Bright will come back into the starting line-up against Roma, especially after being left on the bench at the weekend, which saw Sonia Bompastor’s side fall to a shock defeat at home to Everton, ending their record 34-game unbeaten record in the WSL.

Sara Horte (€4.5m) - Valerenga defender Horte was an epic fail of a transfer prior to the Matchday 4 deadline, as my hopes that she would keep a clean sheet away at lowly St. Polten fell flat in a 2-2 draw. But with another favourable fixture on paper, this time at home to Paris FC, I’m likely to give her another chance.

Midfielders

Mariona Caldentey (€8.0m) - Aitana Bonmati suffering a broken leg whilst in training with the Spanish national team has forced me to use my two free transfers replacing Barcelona assets. The premium-priced Bonmati is moved out and replaced by fellow Spaniard Mariona Caldentey of Arsenal. She’s accumulated 19 points in her last three league phase appearances including 14 ball recoveries, a goal from outside the box and a Player of the Match award. Caldentey also boasts a favourable fixture against Twente at home.

Alexia Putellas (€10.2m) - Putellas becomes arguably more important to Barcelona with Bonmati absent but with Barca all but guaranteed to reach the knockout stage, she is a rotation risk. If Putellas does start at home to Benfica on MD5, the chances of her registering a high fantasy score must be seen as very high.

Linda Caicedo (€7.1m) - Caicedo has yet to hit the heights of her 14-point-score on Matchday 1 and is perhaps proving that being a team’s best player doesn’t always equate to significant fantasy returns. However, she’s come close on multiple occasions and I’m willing to ride out the storm in the hope of her breaking out with a big haul. Caicedo’s Real Madrid host Wolfsburg.

Fiamma (€6.3m) - Probably my favourite fantasy asset this season. I’ve owned Fiamma for precisely two matchdays, MD1 and MD4. Across those two matchdays, the Atletico midfielder has accrued a whopping 32 points, including three goals and two assists. Despite a difficult MD5 fixture, I have no reason to doubt Fiamma’s ability to score highly.

Catarina Macario (€5.7m) - It would be no surprise at all if Macario didn’t start this game. She was a starter at the weekend in a 0-1 defeat and Bompastor bingo is a notorious fantasy threat for managers such as myself. But at a low price and with more attractive transfer options up top, Macario is likely to stay.

Forwards

Claudia Pina (€8.5m) - Pina has to be quite frank, not been the asset I would’ve hoped for so far this league phase, despite that brace off the bench in the first round of fixtures. She’s failed to find the net since then and it’s been a frustrating time owning last season’s UWCL top scorer. She gets another opportunity though against Benfica.

Ada Hegerberg (€9.1m) - I would’ve seriously considered taking a hit and replacing Hegerberg with Alessia Russo had I been able to afford the transfer. I could still make that move but it would mean Caldentey being replaced by Olivia Smith or Kyra Cooney-Cross. The likelihood though is that I keep Hegerberg, who has gained four attacking returns and 24 points across the last three matchdays. 

Ewa Pajor (€10.5m) - A transfer I had to make. Pajor is back in my squad for the first time since Matchday 1, replacing Popp. The Polish star has found the net five times in her last four games in all competitions and is likely to be my captain.

Best of luck to all fantasy managers involved in the penultimate matchday before Christmas.