Six Bayern players may miss the Champions League match in Madrid
Bayern is plagued by player injuries ahead of the visit to Madrid's Atletico.
Fantasy Champions League fans who have Bayern players in their squads should carefully study the latest news surrounding the Munich team before finally deciding on their pick for the new round.
There is a high probability that as many as six players of the Bundesliga champion will not help him in the away match against Madrid's Atletico, and all of them are starters or close to it.
Certainly, four Bayern players will not help in Madrid due to injuries: Luis Díaz, Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala were already sidelined because of various muscle injuries, and last weekend the summer newcomer to Bayern, Ismaël Saïbari, joined them – the Moroccan damaged his ankle in the match against Dortmund's Borussia, has already undergone surgery and risks missing about three months.
But that's not the only problem for Bayern before the trip to Madrid. Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer also risks not playing against Atletico due to a leg injury, and in the same match against Borussia, Michael Olise also requested an early substitution after being diagnosed with a knee injury. A more precise diagnosis for the Frenchman will be given by the end of today, but it seems his participation in the Madrid Champions League match is highly uncertain.
What fantasy Champions League players should do with Bayern footballers
Overall, given such personnel losses, we would not recommend picking Bayern players for your squad in a match against a dangerous opponent like Madrid's Atletico. If Vincent Kompany's team (which, by the way, also has serious health problems) managed to drop points in an away game against the modest Norwegian Viking, then at the noisy and aggressively set‑up Estadio Metropolitano, without a full list of starters, the likelihood of a slip‑up for the Munich side increases manyfold.
At the same time, in the upcoming round there are much more predictable options for selecting your Fantasy Champions League squad in each position, and here are a few such options:
Goalkeeper. David Raya (Arsenal)
The Spaniard and his team will play in the Czech Republic against the modest Slavia, and the chances of a clean sheet for the Gunners are very high here, unless the coaching staff opts for a massive rotation.
Defenders. João Cancelo (Barcelona), Achraf Hakimi (PSG)
Barcelona's Portuguese full‑back and his Moroccan colleague not only fulfill their primary duties but also often and effectively join the attacks. Moreover, Hakimi, just last weekend, delivered an overperformance in the French championship match against Le Havre (5‑1 for PSG), recording a hat‑trick and two assists.
Barça will host Aston Villa in the new Champions League round, and PSG faces an away trip to Villarreal – both opponents may offer a lot with their defenses.
Midfielders. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha (both – Barcelona)
Barcelona's attacking leaders are currently in superb form, and in this Champions League they have already brought considerable benefit to their owners in terms of points – Yamal has 33, while Raphinha has 18, even though the Brazilian has played one match fewer.
Aston Villa will likely be highly motivated in the game against these players. Moreover, the match will take place at Camp Nou, where Barcelona usually wastes no time and starts scoring from the very first minutes.
Forward. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
The Frenchman wasn't too upset about not receiving the Ballon d'Or for yet another consecutive year, and instead began working for the reward already this year. Mbappé will play in the next Champions League round against the modest Greek AEK, and we think he can score at least twice against that team, if not more.