X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

2024-2025 UCL Fantasy Preview: Top Differentials and Budget Picks for the League Phase

Jude Bellingham - UEFA-lineup-picks-daily-fantasy-soccer-fanduel-draftkings-icon

A study guide with extensive coverage of top differentials and budget picks who could be promising assets in your Champions League fantasy team for 2024-2025.

Choosing the right differential for your fantasy team could mean the difference between top and bottom in your mini-league. Bringing in quality players at affordable prices would allow premium assets to be prime options on your teams. However, who are these differentials and budget picks to look out for?

Hello, everyone. As RotoBaller embarks on its second season covering the UEFA Champions League, this article serves as your preview guide to the thrilling journey of the UEFA Champions League 2024-2025 season with its final set to take place at Munich Football Arena, Germany.

The Matchday 1 deadline of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League season is Tuesday, September 17 at 12:45 p.m. EDT, when Young Boys entertains Aston Villa and Juventus hosts PSV Eindhoven. 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 Differentials For Your Fantasy Team (<10% ownership)

The 2024-2025 Champions League season introduces a plethora of impactful assets among the 36 participating teams. Below, I'll list 10 players who are solid differential options per position; three forwards, three midfielders, two defenders, and two goalkeepers. We'll start with the forwards.

Forward: Viktor Gyokeres (€7.5m) - Sporting CP

Swedish international Viktor Gyokeres has been in remarkable form, contributing eight goals and seven assists in his last seven appearances for both club and country this season.

Gyokeres had an outstanding 2023-2024 season with Sporting CP in the Primeira Liga, delivering 29 goals and 10 assists in 33 matches. Currently, at just 5 percent ownership in UCL Fantasy, Gyokeres is the ultimate differential to consider at the start of the Champions League season.

 

Forward: Mateo Retegui (€5.5m) - Atalanta BC

The former Genoa striker Mateo Retegui has been in excellent form since signing for Atalanta in the summer. With three goals already for his new club, he is gaining confidence leading the attack. Priced at a budget-friendly €5.5m, Retegui is a solid addition to your UCL fantasy team if you're looking for an affordable forward option.

Forward:  Kyogo Furuhashi (€6.5m) - Celtic FC

With a goal and an assist in four matches for Celtic, Kyogo Furuhashi has shown promising quality as a potential asset for fantasy managers. Celtic's favorable fixtures in the league phase add to his appeal, particularly with an opening match against Champions League debutants ŠK Slovan Bratislava. He is certainly one of the top forwards to consider targeting.

Midfield: Edon Zhegrova (€6m) - LOSC Lille

25-year-old midfielder Edon Zhegrova played a crucial role in Lille's Champions League qualification, scoring three goals along the way. His versatility allows him to operate both as a winger and occasionally as a second forward alongside teammate Jonathan David (€6m). Given his strong start to the season, Zhegrova is one asset that stands out on my watchlist for the new campaign.

Midfield: Amadou Onana (€5.5m) - Aston Villa

Aston Villa, the 1982 Champions League winners, is back and will be grateful to recruit Amadou Onana, who has flared into form since joining the Villans. Onana, who has two goals in his first three games, adds a strong attacking flair to his game by being a threat from set pieces and is very reliable in ball recoveries.

Midfield: Oscar Gloukh (€6m) - RB Salzburg

20-year-old Israeli international Oscar Gloukh has found his form for RB Salzburg, contributing three goals and three assists in his last seven matches. As of this writing, Gloukh boasts impressive stats in the Austrian league, with 5.13 shots per 90 minutes, 0.69 non-penalty expected goals (npxG) per 90, 4.20 chances created per 90, and 0.81 expected assists (xA) per 90.

With set-piece duties and favorable fixtures for Salzburg, Gloukh is a standout pick for the first four fixtures in the Champions League.

Defender: Alejandro Grimaldo (€5.5m) - Bayer Leverkusen

After an outstanding 2023-2024 season contributing 10 goals and 13 assists to help Leverkusen secure its first Bundesliga title in its history, Alejandro Grimaldo has flourished as an attacking defender, operating more like a winger in Xabi Alonso's system at Leverkusen.

With the club's return to the Champions League, Grimaldo becomes a viable option for fantasy managers.

Defender: Federico Gatti (€5m) - Juventus

Wearing the captain's armband for Juventus and confidently leading the backline, Federico Gatti is yet to concede a goal in the first three matches under new boss Thiago Motta. Known for his aerial prowess, Gatti is a key threat from set pieces and excels in duels and ball recoveries. He's a recommended pick for those looking to include a reliable Juventus defender on their fantasy team.

Goalkeeper: Kasper Schmeichel (€4.5m) - Celtic FC

Returning to the Champions League for the first time since the 2016-2017 season with Leicester, Kasper Schmeichel is now back but in green and white colors for Celtic. The 37-year-old veteran goalkeeper has started the season impressively, keeping four clean sheets in his first four matches for the club in the Scottish Premiership.

Priced at €4.5m, Schmeichel is a solid differential option and budget-friendly pick for the goalkeeping position on your fantasy team.

Goalkeeper: Michele Di Gregorio (€4.5m) - Juventus

With the departure of former goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, new boss Thiago Motta has turned to Michele Di Gregorio, who has started Juventus' first three games of the season, keeping clean sheets in all of them. Priced at €4.5m, Di Gregorio could be a reliable differential pick if Juventus continues its strong start in the Champions League.

 

Best Budget Picks To Look Out For (€4m - €4.5m)

Kamil Piatkowski (€4m) - Salzburg

Putting in an outstanding performance in Salzburg's defense, especially in the qualifying playoffs against Dynamo Kyiv, Kamil Piatkowski has cemented his place as a regular starter for the Austrian side. This is great news for UCL fantasy managers who are looking for budget-friendly options to balance out more expensive assets, as Piatkowski offers a smooth route into your squad.

Eliesse Ben Seghir (€4.5m) - AS Monaco

The 19-year-old Moroccan winger has shown great promise, particularly in his goal and shot creation, and he has scored despite wearing a Monaco shirt for just 223 minutes this season.

As such, he is an important creator for the team. Ben Seghir is your man if you need an affordable attacking option with a ton of goal potential.

 

Join The RotoBaller League

Once again, join our RotoBaller.com league. Hit any of our writers up over the next two weeks, 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!

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Mike Tauchman22 mins ago

Begins Rehab Assignment
Wyatt Langford33 mins ago

Launches Another Homer
Nathan Eovaldi41 mins ago

Throws Complete Game Shutout
Michael Petersen53 mins ago

Traded To Atlanta
Patrick Cantlay2 hours ago

Eyeing Victory At Valero Texas Open
Reynaldo López2 hours ago

Reynaldo Lopez To Undergo Right-Shoulder Surgery
Gary Woodland2 hours ago

Showing Great Form Ahead Of Valero Texas Open
Akshay Bhatia2 hours ago

Aiming For Repeat At Valero Texas Open
Alejandro Tosti2 hours ago

A Volatile Choice At TPC San Antonio
NFL2 hours ago

Tush Push Unlikely To Be Banned For 2025 Season
Xavier Legette2 hours ago

Dave Canales Compares Xavier Legette To DK Metcalf
Brett de Geus2 hours ago

Phillies Claim Brett de Geus Off Waivers From Marlins
New York Giants2 hours ago

Ty Summers Re-Signs With New York
Nick Mears2 hours ago

Beginning Rehab Assignment At Triple-A
Aaron Civale3 hours ago

Plays Catch On Tuesday
Masataka Yoshida3 hours ago

Resumes Swinging
Sam Ehlinger3 hours ago

Signs One-Year Deal With Denver
Liam Hendriks3 hours ago

Resumes Throwing
Guerschon Yabusele3 hours ago

Out Against Knicks
Kutter Crawford3 hours ago

Hasn't Faced Hitters
Karl-Anthony Towns3 hours ago

Sits Out Tuesday's Game
Arizona Cardinals3 hours ago

Calais Campbell Returns To Arizona
Lucas Giolito3 hours ago

To Make A Rehab Start On Wednesday
Jevon Carter3 hours ago

Ruled Out Tuesday
Dalen Terry3 hours ago

Unavailable Against Raptors
Brayan Bello3 hours ago

To Make Rehab Start On Tuesday
Julian Phillips3 hours ago

Out On Tuesday
Alexis Díaz3 hours ago

Alexis Diaz Throws Live BP On Tuesday
Jalen Smith3 hours ago

Available Against Raptors
Max Scherzer3 hours ago

Day-To-Day After Getting Cortisone Shot
Lonzo Ball3 hours ago

Still Out On Tuesday
Freddie Freeman3 hours ago

Likely Out Until Friday
Kevin Huerter4 hours ago

Cleared For Tuesday's Matchup
Willson Contreras4 hours ago

Taking First Day Off
Josh Giddey4 hours ago

Will Play On Tuesday
Dalano Banton4 hours ago

Starting Against The Hawks
Royce O'Neale4 hours ago

Unavailable Against Bucks
Jerami Grant4 hours ago

Out Again On Tuesday
Bradley Beal4 hours ago

Out On Tuesday
Ron Holland II4 hours ago

Tagged With A One-Game Suspension Tuesday
Anfernee Simons4 hours ago

Ruled Out Versus The Hawks
Trae Young4 hours ago

Officially Available Tuesday
Marcus Sasser4 hours ago

Suspended For One Game On Tuesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo4 hours ago

Will Play On Tuesday
Jimmy Snuggerud4 hours ago

Ready For NHL Debut Tuesday
Edouard Julien4 hours ago

Making First Start Of The Season
Isaiah Stewart4 hours ago

Suspended For Two Games On Tuesday
Jacob Trouba4 hours ago

Set To Rejoin Ducks Lineup Tuesday
Jonathan Kuminga4 hours ago

Ruled Out On Tuesday
Troy Terry5 hours ago

On Track To Play Tuesday
Dylan Crews5 hours ago

Not Starting Against Blue Jays
Jaylen Brown5 hours ago

Questionable Versus Miami
Jonathan Marchessault5 hours ago

Remains Out Against Blue Jackets
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.5 hours ago

Sitting Out In New York
Alex Laferriere5 hours ago

Expected To Return On Tuesday
Paul Goldschmidt5 hours ago

Hitting Leadoff Again
Luke Schenn5 hours ago

A Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Dante Fabbro5 hours ago

Returns Against Predators
Detroit Lions7 hours ago

Alim McNeill Could Miss Start Of Regular Season
Tennessee Titans8 hours ago

Justin Hardee Sr. Returning To Titans
Washington Commanders8 hours ago

Brandon Coleman Moving To Right Tackle For Commanders
Raheem Blackshear8 hours ago

Returning To Carolina
Kirk Cousins8 hours ago

Not Expected To Attend Voluntary Offseason Training
NFL8 hours ago

NFL Ownership Votes To Move Kickoff Touchbacks To 35-Yard Line
Olli Määttä8 hours ago

Olli Maatta A Game-Time Call On Tuesday
Jordan Greenway8 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Tuesday
Dallas Cowboys8 hours ago

Cowboys Willing To Make Micah Parsons The Highest-Paid Non-QB
Jordan Staal8 hours ago

Doubtful For Wednesday
Matt Roy8 hours ago

Not Traveling With Team
Geno Smith9 hours ago

Raiders Working On Extension With Geno Smith
Chris Godwin9 hours ago

Buccaneers Optimistic Chris Godwin Will Be Ready For Week 1
Josh Norris9 hours ago

Not Traveling With The Team On Tuesday
Los Angeles Rams9 hours ago

Coleman Shelton Expected To Start Again In 2025
Brady Tkachuk9 hours ago

Not Playing On Tuesday
Los Angeles Rams9 hours ago

Rams Open To Drafting A Quarterback
Kyren Williams9 hours ago

Rams To Discuss Long-Term Deal With Kyren Williams
Aaron Rodgers9 hours ago

Signs "Pointing" Toward Aaron Rodgers Signing With Steelers
Brock Purdy9 hours ago

49ers Optimistic On Getting Extension Done With Brock Purdy
Jordan Spieth10 hours ago

Needs To Find Consistency At TPC San Antonio
Jake Knapp11 hours ago

Making First Appearance At Valero Texas Open
Michael Kim11 hours ago

Looking To Find The Magic Again In San Antonio
Tommy Fleetwood11 hours ago

Is Nearly A Must-Play At Valero Texas Open
Tony Finau11 hours ago

Hoping For Better Approach Play In San Antonio
Eric Cole11 hours ago

Trending In Right Direction Ahead Of Valero
Casey DeSmith15 hours ago

Sharp In Monday's Victory
Mason Marchment15 hours ago

Tallies Two Helpers On Monday
Adam Klapka15 hours ago

Tallies Two Points In Shootout Victory
Ivan Fedotov15 hours ago

Sharp Against Nashville
Matvei Michkov15 hours ago

Continues Hot Stretch On Monday
Luke Hughes16 hours ago

Scores Goal, Adds Assist In Victory
Sam Stevens1 day ago

Enjoys Nice Result In Houston
PGA1 day ago

J.T. Poston Seeks To Contend At Valero Texas Open
Denny McCarthy1 day ago

Keeps Making Cuts But Needs To Make More Putts
Brian Harman1 day ago

Off To A Subpar 2025 So Far
Ilya Samsonov1 day ago

Nursing An Upper-Body Injury
Tomas Hertl1 day ago

To Sit Out At Least One More Week
Ryan Preece1 day ago

Has Three Straight Top-10 Finishes For First Time In His Career
NASCAR1 day ago

Bubba Wallace After Third-Place Finish At Martinsville: "What a Great Day"
Todd Gilliland1 day ago

Has Mistake-Free Day At Martinsville, Grabs Another Top-10 Finish
Brandon Moreno1 day ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Steve Erceg1 day ago

Losses Third Consecutive Fight
Drew Dober1 day ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres1 day ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Harry Hall1 day ago

Bounces Back In Houston Last Week
Denver Broncos1 day ago

Denver To Take A Running Back In The Draft
CJ Vergara1 day ago

Gets Submitted
Ryan Fox1 day ago

Showing Improvement Heading Into The Valero Texas Open
Édgar Cháirez1 day ago

Edgar Chairez Gets Submission Win At UFC Mexico City
Courtland Sutton1 day ago

"No Timeline" On Courtland Sutton Extension
Vince Morales1 day ago

Drops Decision At UFC Mexico City
Raul Rosas Jr.1 day ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Mexico City
Saimon Oliveira1 day ago

Still Winless In The UFC
David Martinez1 day ago

Wins His UFC Debut
Kevin Borjas1 day ago

Earns His First UFC Win
Ronaldo Rodríguez1 day ago

Ronaldo Rodriguez Suffers His First UFC Loss
Joel Dahmen1 day ago

Scores Top-20 Finish At Texas Children's Houston Open
Jacob Bridgeman1 day ago

Had Some Rest Heading Into The Valero
Sami Valimaki1 day ago

Finishes Fourth At Texas Children's Houston Open
Maverick McNealy1 day ago

Finishes Tied For 32nd At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Tom Kim1 day ago

Finishes Tied For 36th At Valspar Championship
Christopher Bell1 day ago

Powers His Way To A Second-Place Finish At Martinsville
Chase Elliott1 day ago

Strong Martinsville Performance Ends With A Top-Five Finish
Kyle Larson1 day ago

Collects A Top-Five Finish At Martinsville
William Byron1 day ago

Places 22nd After Struggles At Martinsville
Joey Logano1 day ago

Claims His First 2025 Top-10 Finish After Up-And-Down Performance
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Fails To Place In The Top 10 At Martinsville
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Silences Doubters After Crew-Chief Change
Ty Gibbs2 days ago

Earns Best 2025 Finish At Martinsville Despite Failing Cool Suit
Ross Chastain2 days ago

Has A Great Day At Martinsville
Chase Briscoe2 days ago

Has Solid Run At Martinsville
Erik Jones2 days ago

Disqualified At Martinsville For Weight Violation
Josh Berry3 days ago

Has Top-10 Upside At Martinsville
Joey Logano3 days ago

Don't Overlook Joey Logano This Weekend
Ryan Preece3 days ago

Could Get First Three-Race Top-10 Streak Of His Career
Chase Elliott3 days ago

Looking To Continue Great Runs At Martinsville
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Wins Pole At Martinsville, But Can He Stay Up There?
Ryan Blaney3 days ago

Fast In Practice But Skeptical About Car
Denny Hamlin3 days ago

New Crew Chief Has Terrible Martinsville Record
Steve Erceg4 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Brandon Moreno4 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres4 days ago

Set For Co-Main Event
Drew Dober4 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Mexico City
Joe Pyfer4 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum4 days ago

Set For Middleweight Matchup
Vince Morales4 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Raul Rosas Jr.4 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Saimon Oliveira4 days ago

Looks For His First UFC Win
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Tyreek Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Three Aging Fantasy Football Players To Sell In Dynasty Leagues

It's hard to always know when to sell off your aging fantasy football players. Often, it's also difficult to accept that it's better to move on from a player when he's coming off a productive season and still has a lot left in the tank. But I believe it's better to be a year early […]


J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Draft Sleepers

Five Fantasy Football Superflex Quarterback Breakouts, Draft Targets (2025)

If you’ve ever played in a Superflex fantasy football league, then you know how important quarterbacks are in this format. The ability to start multiple stud quarterbacks can carry you to a Superflex title. Unfortunately, finding two such players isn’t so easy. All the top signal-callers come off draft boards first, and that makes it […]


Omarion Hampton - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

Ideal Landing Spots For The Top 12 Fantasy Football Rookies - 2025 NFL Draft

Then, the NFL Draft continues to inch closer and closer. This is a very interesting class, with a handful of players who could be stars in the NFL and reshape fantasy football leagues going forward. Here are the ideal landing spots for the top 12 fantasy football rookies. These picks exist in conversation with each […]


Jalen Coker - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Eight Best Ball Late Round Value Fantasy Football Players To Target For 2025

Fantasy football is the most popular game in all of sports. It has gone from a paper-and-pen game to a multi-million dollar-a-year one. While redraft leagues are the most popular form of fantasy football, best ball leagues are quickly gaining steam. The best part of best ball leagues is the ability to draft thousands of […]


Abdul Carter - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 NFL Draft Rankings: Top 10 Fantasy Football Edge Rusher Prospects

Edge rusher is the most important, most coveted, and most highly-paid position on defense in the NFL. It stands to reason that the most important position in the entire game being quarterback, and by a wide margin, means the most important position on defense are the players that are tasked with disrupting opposing QBs as […]


Brock Purdy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

Brock Purdy Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook and Trade Value

Despite becoming the all-time leading passer for the Iowa State Cyclones, Brock Purdy wasn't a highly touted prospect due to his perceived lack of athleticism. The 49ers picked him with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, but Mr. Irrelevant quickly proved everyone wrong. In his first two years, he started in back-to-back NFC […]


Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Scouting NFL Draft Prospects!

Michael F Florio goes over some of the top prospects from this years NFL Draft. Florio talks about what he looks for when watching prospect tape and explains what traits translate best to the NFL level. Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (SiriusXM channel 87) on Sundays from 6-7 am. You can […]


Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football Buy or Sell: Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, Jordan Mason

One year ago, we discussed the futures of Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Aaron Jones as those free agents found new homes. This year's headliners are Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, and Jordan Mason. Not quite the same. Still, with every transaction come implications for dynasty fantasy football rosters across the globe. Below, we […]


Romeo Doubs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Undervalued NFC Draft Targets

While the 2025 fantasy football redraft season is still several months away, there is no such thing as being too prepared for your fantasy draft. Fantasy football is year-round, even for those who only play in redraft leagues. The landscape of fantasy football will change between today and the start of redraft season, with the […]


Detroit Lions Defense, Aidan Hutchinson - Fantasy Football DST Rankings, Streamers, IDP Sleepers

2025 Fantasy Football IDP Sleepers: Five Draft Targets

It's notably difficult to identify sleepers in fantasy football IDP leagues. The skill of the players in question is very important, but situation also plays a large factor, as does a recent history of injuries. Rather than bucketing them into groups, it's better to analyze each one individually, look at where they are in terms […]


Ashton Jeanty - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Ashton Jeanty's Top Potential Landing Spots For 2025: Fantasy Football NFL Draft Outlook

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty will enter the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the best prospects in the class. Jeanty just ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns across 14 games this past college season. Those 2,601 rush yards were the second-most of all-time in FBS history, only behind Barry Sanders's 2,628 rush yards […]


Bhaysul Tuten - NFL Draft Prospects, Rookie Rankings

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, Single QB

The 2025 NFL Combine has now been completed, so it's worth doing another mock draft to see where everyone stands after the league's pre-draft testing event. Overall, there were a few surprises, but the order of many players will remain the same. The mental domain of the original rankings, which have been fairly set in […]


Rashid Shaheed - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Later-Career Breakout Candidates

Typically, most NFL players break out in the early parts of their careers. Between the ages of 20 and 25 is when you expect to see the majority of players have their first big season. Some waste no time and put together excellent years while they're rookies, while some need more time to develop. These […]