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Matchday 3 of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League group stage delivered thrilling action, highlighted by Real Madrid's incredible 5-2 victory over Dortmund and FC Barcelona's stunning 4-1 victory over Bayern Munich. Raphinha and Vinicius Jr. were the standout picks, scoring a hat trick.
Matchday 4 promises more excitement, with headline clashes like Liverpool vs. Bayer Leverkusen and Inter Milan hosting Arsenal this midweek. The road to Germany is set to be thrilling, ultimately leading to the final at Munich's Football Arena. RotoBaller remains your go-to source for top-tier UEFA Champions League fantasy content.
The Matchday 4 deadline of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League season is Tuesday, November 5 at 1:45 p.m. EDT, when PSV Eindhoven entertains Girona and ŠK Slovan Bratislava hosts GNK Dinamo. Also, check out the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the squad gets you all set for every English Premier League slate with our EPL DFS lineup picks and betting picks.
Top #UCLfantasy performers so far! 🔍📈
View your team and make subs now 👇#UCL | @playstationEU
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 5, 2024
Matchday 4 UCL Fantasy Tips
Target Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Atalanta Assets
Bayern Munich hopes to resume winning ways when they face SL Benfica. Liverpool has won 11 out of 12 games in all competitions under Arne slot, and another will give the Reds a massive boost in the UCL standings if they defeat Leverkusen. Meanwhile, Atalanta BC will aim for their second UCL victory against VFB Stuggart.
To this end, it's strongly recommended that UCL fantasy managers target assets from Bayern Munich, Liverpool, or Atalanta BC. Projections for Matchday 4 indicate FC Bayern Munich is anticipated to score 2.80 expected goals (xG), Liverpool at 2.00 xG, and Atalanta BC at 1.55 xG.
Projections for this week's round of Champions League fixtures, via spread betting markets pic.twitter.com/FyHRj32J8Z
— Rob T (@robtFPL) November 5, 2024
This week's recommended targets include any of Bayern Munich's attacking trio — Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, and Michael Olise; Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Atalanta BC's Ademola Lookman, Davide Zappacosta, and Mateo Retegui (if he starts).
Double up on Barcelona's Attack, Hold On To Your Sporting CP Assets
Forty goals scored in their first 12 La Liga matches and 10 goals scored in their first three UCL outings. Barcelona's offense has been an absolute menace and a tough nut to crack for any opposition's defense. Our UCL Matchday 4 projections rank Barcelona first for expected goals with a 2.95 xG.
5 - Barcelona are the only team with four different players to have scored at least five goals in Europe's top five leagues this season: Robert Lewandowski (14), Raphinha Dias (7), Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo (5). Overwhelming. pic.twitter.com/hd8vMqHxoc
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 3, 2024
If you already invested early in the Catalan team attack, you can count yourself lucky for more rewards ahead as FC Barcelona takes on Red Star Belgrade, a team that has conceded 11 goals in their first three UCL matches. A double-up or any combination of Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, or Robert Lewandowski could be the pivot for Matchday 4.
Teams to target - top projected goals and clean sheet odds, via spread betting markets 👇 pic.twitter.com/Bctq7j2e4i
— Rob T (@robtFPL) November 5, 2024
This week, the clash between Sporting CP and Manchester City in the UCL brings the classic paradox of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. The reigning Portuguese champions enter the contest on a perfect domestic streak—10 wins, 35 goals scored, and only three conceded.
🎶 You’re my wonderwall 🎶 @ChampionsLeague week 🔜 #SCPMCI pic.twitter.com/F25aZ8sdIT
— Sporting CP (@SportingCP) November 3, 2024
Meanwhile, Manchester City arrive with an impressive 26-game unbeaten run in the Champions League, widely favored to come away with a result. Yet, with Sporting CP set to part ways with current manager Rúben Amorim, Matchday 4 could showcase their resilience as they host City.
BREAKING: #ManCity are now 26 games unbeaten and have broken the record for the longest such streak in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history, exceeding Manchester United’s 25 games unbeaten between September 2007 and May 2009. 🤯
THE BEST TEAM IN EUROPEAN FOOTBALL!!! 💫 pic.twitter.com/ViJ4TcspiS
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) October 23, 2024
Given Man City’s somewhat vulnerable defense, with only two clean sheets in their first 10 EPL games, any of Sporting CP’s attacking trio—Viktor Gyökeres, Francisco Trincão, and Pedro Gonçalve could prove fantasy valuable assets to hold for this week.
Matchday 4 Top Captain Picks
The Champions League midweek fixtures present many fascinating options for your captaincy choice. Players like Benjamin Šeško facing Celtic, and Ousmane Dembélé with a favorable home tie against Atletico Madrid, all present strong cases. However, my top three picks across Matchday 3 would be:
Mohamed Salah (€10.0m) - Liverpool
He has surpassed Didier Drogba's record as the highest-scoring African in the Champions League. Mo Salah, our Egyptian King, rises to the top of the captain list for Matchday 4 thanks to his domestic form, which has seen him contribute 12 goals (seven goals, five assists) for Liverpool.
With 45 goals in 82 UCL appearances, Salah thrives in high-stakes games, and his recent league performances only add to the appeal. Expect him to be highly motivated to find the back of the net when Liverpool welcomes Bayer Leverkusen to Anfield.
Another special Salah strike in front of the Kop 🇪🇬👑 pic.twitter.com/621L9VIQWr
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 3, 2024
Vinicius Junior (€11.0m) - Real Madrid
Real Madrid's talisman Vinicius Jr. was the cream of the crop as he stepped up to deliver a clutch performance against the Blacks and Yellows, earning UCL fantasy managers 17 points.
The Brazilian international now boasts 24 goals and 22 assists in 59 Champions League appearances. Matchday 4 presents the opportunity for fantasy managers to entrust the armband to Vini, as he will be eager to do it all against at the Santiago Bernabeu when Madrid hosts Milan.
Sensational Vini hat-trick 🥵#UCL pic.twitter.com/3YGZTAYQr2
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 24, 2024
Harry Kane (€10.7m) - FC Bayern Munich
Harry Kane currently leads this season’s UCL goal charts with five goals in his first three UCL outings. The Englishman's domestic form of 16 goal contributions (11 goals and five assists) in just nine games—cements him as one of our top captain picks this week.
The 31-year-old veteran also averages an impressive 0.86 xG per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga and now boasts a record 34 goals scored in 47 Champions League appearances. With a home tie against SL Benfica next, Kane is a standout captaincy option for our Matchday 4 Wednesday fixtures.
16 - Since detailed data collection in 2004-05, only one player has collected more direct goal contributions in the first nine matchdays of a Bundesliga season than Omar Marmoush and Harry Kane this season (16 each): Harry Kane in the previous season (17). Unstoppable. pic.twitter.com/L2QpN5vsxi
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) November 2, 2024
Differential Captain Pick (<10% ownership)
Serhou Guirassy (€7.7m) - Borussia Dortmund
Serhou Guirassy has been a stellar signing for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, racking up eight goals and two assists across all competitions, including three goals and one assist in the Champions League.
According to FBRef Stats, Guirassy averages 3.39 shots per 90 minutes, amasses 4.3 non-penalty anticipated goals overall, and is likely to be involved in pen duty when needed.
Guirassy is our top differential captain for Matchday 4. He has a favorable home matchup against SK Sturm Graz and can add more goals to his Champions League total.
Under the radar🔍
Price - €7.7m
Position - FWD
Stats: 3 goals and an assist in his first three #UCL outings (8⚽️, 2🅰️ in all competitions)
Amassed 0.64 xG per 90 in the Bundesliga🔥Next UCL game: Strum Graz (H)
Will Sehrou Guirassy make your Matchday 4 #UCLFantasy team? pic.twitter.com/88T5nptseq
— FPL Manual (Wale) (@TheFPLManual) November 4, 2024
Join The RotoBaller League
Once again, join our RotoBaller.com league. Hit any of our writers up over the next two weeks, and we will give you the code (also in the graphic below), and you'll be good to go. Good luck for UEFA Champions League Fantasy, RotoBallers!
Stick around for more UCL Fantasy content coming soon. Is there a question you would like to have answered every week? Hit us up on X @RotoBaller. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!
