UCL FANTASY: MD1 Preview Pod

Before the season even kicks off soccer fans are already making predictions. Who wins the league? Who qualifies for Europe? And who's lifting the trophy at seasons end? On Kalshi America's number one prediction market platform, your trading against peers in a live market, meaning there's no house. And as the probability changes, you can buy in and out of your position. For a limited time, download the Kalshi app and use Code Cup 26 to get $10 when you trade 10. KALSHI Kalshi trade the beautiful game. 18+ only restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading in Valsers can may not be suitable for all investors. Prices, values, and available markets may differ from those mentioned. For more information, see Kalshi.com/regulatory. This episode is brought to you by Mikalova Ultra. Good times mean competitions between you and your friends, like seeing who can throw some pig skin to the farthest or rush the field the fastest. Winner gets an Ultra because it's not just a superior like beer. It's also giving fans superior access to their favorite sporting events. Superior is worth playing for. Visit Mikalova Ultra.com/superioraccess to enter. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026 and has a wish in Bay of Mikalova Ultra beer St. Louis, Missouri. This message is brought to you by Apple Card. With Apple Card, you earn unlimited daily cashback on everyday purchases, like groceries, merch, or tickets to the game. Plus, it can be used anywhere MasterCard is accepted. No matter your team, no matter where you shop, Apple Card is here to help you tackle game day. Apply in the wallet app on your iPhone today. Subject to credit approval. Apple Card is issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City Branch. Terms and more at applecard.com. Hello everyone and welcome back to the UEFA Fantasy podcast and our first matchday preview of the season. It's just myself and Louis tonight as Hayden is going through the big move, so he'll be with us for all of the future podcasts, including the next one, where we'll be going through a question and answer as well as our first drafts. But tonight it will be going through each position and identifying who are the best picks and maybe who are some traps. Louis, how are you feeling about this one? Excited to be back, I'm sure. Yeah, it is good to be back, isn't it? I mean, you just can't beat Chubby Sieg Football. I say that all you can't beat Chubby Sieg Knights, you can't beat Chubby Sieg Football. You know, it always reminds me of Chubby Sieg Football, so we had Bake Off. I don't know if you watch Bake Off. I don't want to turn into a Bake Off. Where is this? Have I forgotten this already? Every time I think of Chubby Sieg, it's about Bake Off because it comes out when the Chubby Sieg's around about the Chubby Sieg starts. That's not important, I know one has, but anyway, how are you? I'm okay, I'm okay. I thought you were about to try and give us like, you know, select eleven of different types of, like, pitisserie item. Panoshakala and the left wing, not something like that, I don't know. I'm not so keen on that. Not so keen on Brad Week, I mean. No, and how was that a bit boring for you? I think it's actually a little focaccia, something like that. I don't mind, I don't mind a bit of focaccia, but yeah, Brad Week is a bit, you know, me. Yeah, fair enough. Well, everyone, that's the single, it'll be absolutely delighted to know that this has nothing to do with the Bake Off. This is everything to do with the first day of the Champions League we are so back. Three nights of festivities across the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday has become tradition for now its third consecutive year, so that is something to bear in mind when we do go through the teams and we'll try and obviously remind people as we go through this podcast as well, that they'll be Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday fixed Thursday. Moving on from that, from actually to one words, it is just Tuesday Wednesday. You know what else is done? What else is it? It is my partner's favourite time of the year. What, because you're really, really busy and should get a piece of quiet. Well, I mean, there's a lot of football on, isn't there? Rarely miss the football, put it that way, so. Should be delighted, let's hope we can find the course crew this time for. Any of our long listeners, they'll understand the reference. So we'll dive straight in, Lewis, I say we're dive straight in, I mean, yapping for five minutes, it is a pet peeve when people say that. Anyway, you know what, I have noticed actually, when me and you do stuff like this, like just me and you, like it lasts forever, like we do. No, we're not going to normally would go through every single game here. We'll be doing normal stuff with the early kickoffs. We're not going to do it this time. We're just going to have hopefully, I reckon it's about 15 minutes. That's what I'm hoping for anyway. We do try and aim these days for 40 to 50 and I think we'll be doing quite well with it. But I think this one probably aim for 50, let's see how we get on. And we're just going to go through positions. Just a normal chat, maybe some price points, you know, who's going to be the good picks, maybe who's going to be the bad picks, that sort of thing. So let's start with the goalkeepers. Lewis, take us away. Who are your two rubbish keepers that you're going for this year and that you want everyone else to jump on? How dare you assume that I'm going with two cheap crap goalkeepers done that got record or carded or one point is. I know I have actually gone with two crap. Yeah, I figured you would. Do you know what, I think it'd be worth mentioning goalkeepers as a whole this season. Do you know what, I find it very difficult to find two goalkeepers that that rotate really well. And a lot of people will probably agree with this. So I'll start off with a goalkeeper pairing that I did find that lasts from March Day 1, all of the way to March Day 8. And it is the Roma goalkeeper's villa at 4.5 million and it is also the lands goalkeeper at 4.5 called Resa. So, and we know how good Roma have been defensively this season. Well, last season, absolute ridiculous. I ate clean sheets and cereal last season. I've got no issues with going with the Roma goalkeeper bar playing Madrid and PSG. Two of the best teams in Europe. But, you know, thankfully, we've got the lands goalkeeper, Resa. So, if you are planning to go with two cheap goalkeepers then that is the way for, you know, no issues, just, you know, keep them in and rotate them. I think a lot of people are probably going to look at Aston Villa's Suzuki at 4 million. He's a mid raft, so tell me why I'm right. For having them wrong for having them. Well, I think it's a good option. I think the only issue with Suzuki is that finding a pair, a cheap pair to go with him is quite problematic, I've found. But he's got that, I think he's got three really good fixtures. Yes, and he's exactly in my current draft. Then about you then Viking, two home fixtures in there. I think if you can just kind of keep up for that first day really far brews your way, which isn't the world's greatest. But then about you to home Viking at home before, then my assumption is you would have wild carded or done something by match day four anyway when they come up against Barcelona. The main chip strategies are, so the main chip strategies are, either wild card had a match day two, and then, and then limitless in A. I think that's one of the big ones. The second biggest seems to be limitless in free, when a lot of the big teams face each other. I like that a little bit less because of just the team. Well, yeah, if the big teams are facing each other, you want to be having them on the limitless. Yeah. I mean, that's the other players that you want for a limitless. I think it's a tricky one. It's a tricky one because a lot of people are going for that and then and then a wild card had a five and six, but by the time you get to five and six, you can you can bring a lot of the players in that people want. Anyway, we're transfers probably. And then of course the other one is is wild card in in match day seven. How did the two fixtures swing? So it depends which strategy you go for. I'm again, I'm personally going for the wild card in match day two for a load of different reasons, loads of reasons. The 35 day break, the fixture swing. I don't want United and PSG players in my match day two. I want to jump on Real Madrid players. I want to jump on Inter players. I don't like the goalkeeper pairings until match day two. I think we need two premium strikers from match day two, not for the first one. So there's loads of different reasons why I'm personally going for that, although a lot of people disagree and are going for their own thing, which is fine. So I am with you, Dan. I currently have Suzuki in my team. I'm actually rotating in with the Stuttgart goalkeeper called Breadlow. He's only four million. He's covering for the main first team goalkeeper for now in goal. I only need him for one for one match day though. Do you think you'd be able to get two games out of him? Or do you think it is really just the one for the keeper? Well, I potentially just won because obviously there's a 35 plus to 40 day break between match day one and two, so that's a lot of time for the other goalkeeper to recover, isn't it? So yeah, I think if you go for the match day two, hard card, then that should be the strategy. But you know what, there's so many good goalkeepers, good prices. I think you only have to look at Dortmund who have got a few nice fixtures. If you want to go to five mill, just stick co-ball in. If you want it, you could bring you could bring you could bring Boutazin from Como. He's he's four and a half. He's got great fixtures long term. But now that Sanchez has come in, there is there are some question marks there. Even though obviously Sanchez is absolutely be awful and Bhutas should still start. But yeah, you know what, at that price point, the four and a half, I think Svilla at Roma is a really good option. I mean, there's a few more, obviously, the lands goalkeeper I've already highlighted, Stuttgart's goalkeeper you can have for one much day. I don't even mind club Bruce, you know, if you can get Jan Somerin and rotate, you know, if they've got Villa into Lons, Lons, PSV, short-term. No, you've got to write the first time, Lons. Good, yeah. So yeah, I think there are the options. I don't think there's. I think the issue this year done is the fact that people can't rotate. There's not a load of goalkeepers that rotate well with each other. It's a bit of a minefield. Like, I've spent ridiculously unembarrassing to admit this. I've spent a few hours looking at goalkeeper pairings. Again, just going back, I think they're Lons and Roma goalkeeper pairings, probably the best I could find for 9 mil. Yeah, fair, fair. Yeah, I don't know whether I'm going to wildcard in two or three. I'm going to try and. I'm going to build teams for both and see which one I prefer out the two. My gut instinct was I'd much prefer to wildcard for three because I think that's when you get the first price rises just before three. Is that right? Sorry, when the match day three deadline. That's it. Yeah. That's when. So, if you can wildcard in the players that have done well, do you know when you've got them 50-50 coin flips, yeah, do I go for this one? Do I go for that one? I think you could jump on loads of price rises and then you're looking good for transfers later on because there are so many legitimately good picks this year. That are eight million and above. It's tough, you know. It's really, really tough. There are so many good options this season and it's and of course premiums as well, right? You can. In this game, you can never fit in all the premiums. Yes. In FPL, you can always fit in all the premiums and UCL, you can never fit all the premiums in. Yeah, it's tough, it's tough. So that's one thing that I think that will help with having a match day three wildcard over two, but again, we'll just have to see how things go. I think a lot of people may go for. I keep by like, like, Raya. I'm just going to have a little look to see who's probably the type to keep us off. We'll just have a little look at that at the minute. So goalkeepers. It'll be called to our Raya. It'll be all the premiums that are highest down, I can. Oh, I can't even. Oh, selected by. Here we go. David Raya is well out in front. There are only. Here we go, one, two, three, four. There are five keepers that are in the double digits for percentage order. We'll start the loss. Jan Summer, now playing for Bruj. It's 10%. He's about 40 years old. I think that's a trap. I think that's okay. Jan Summer. No, no, I did highlight him. No, I think it could be a good option. Club Bruj, they do all right, don't they? Malinkovic Savage with 15%. He's an issue because Marit's been starting. So there's rotation there, so I'd worry about that. There you go. Jran Garcia, Barcelona, 17%. Surely you just don't waste a Barcelona pick on the keeper. No. To book the tour, 19%. He's just always one of the highest down goalkeepers. Yeah. Is he six mill as well? Is that how many years? It shouldn't be. Yeah, he is. He's six mill. That is a disgrace. Malinkovic Savage, I think, has been picked by so many because he's four mill. Yeah, he doesn't like your play. Yeah. Yeah. And then by far and we're nearly 40% of the game. I've got David Raya. Yeah. But that means it's a strange one because Napoli away feels like a pain in the arse for Arsenal. Well, the thing is, I think the problem is is that cons is 4.4 4.5 mill and is that how much cons there is 4.5? So he was, he was priced as a developer player. So he's 4.5 mill, Calafiori's 4.5 mill. Yeah. Just no point in playing for Raya. I agree. I absolutely agree. And he's never a keeper that really gets save points or anything. No. So yeah, I think if you're one of the 38% of people that have got Raya and your team, you can you can shave off at least a million. Go for one of the Arsenal defenders that you don't have. As you've said, the cons are Calafiori, Calafiori's in my draft and realize cons are 4.5. So I need to double check that as well. Not double check the price. I mean double check my team to get them in. Yeah. It doesn't feel optimal. Let's move on to the defenders. Let's not talk really about Calafiori and cons are because I think A, we've just mentioned them in B. They are so brazenly obvious. What you doing, if you don't have one of them, what are you doing? Especially I think cons are a little bit more locked in particularly for the short term. Calafiori is always going to have some level of competition from in capier and when Bruno's fit Miles Lewis Skelly at left back. But who else is in line for a shout out on this podcast in defence Lewis? Yeah, I wouldn't actually go near Arsenal. I think the fixtures are fairly tricky to be fair. So even though they've been priced okay, I think Napoli away is difficult. Lill, I don't think it will be easy. French sides usually love playing. But yeah, French sides are rubbish away. They're good at home. Yeah, they are, they are very good at home. I just feel like they're coming quite tricky away as well. The French left. I feel what? Terrible way. Like in terms of like they couldn't, they're not very good at scoring goals, which is an Arsenal, Arsenal or a class. So all still in there, in their first few fixtures, they've got Napoli, Bayern and then they've got Dortmund and Rail a bit after. But I just think the issue with them is this is also a rotation. You've got to remember that Calafiori came off like half time and didn't start a couple of times last season. So eventually they're going to get rotated. Outside of Arsenal, I think the main ones I'm looking at are stuck got guys because they are, so they are one of the highest kind of projected for clean sheets this week. They're against Viking. I don't think Viking in the Champions League since like 92, it's around the time I was born. Something like that anyway. And I am expecting them super bad. You know, I do think that Stuttgart will be good. They are good now. You know, they qualify for the Champions League when the last match for one. So a lot of people are looking at Stuttgart actually. Most of the community are looking at Stuttgart players. And I think obviously that if you are looking at Stuttgart players, you have to have medals that who is on pants as a defender, he's taking corners and he's 4.5 million. So I think if you're not looking at middle star, then you should be. But there's also another differential Joshua Vagnamann. So he plays on the opposite flank. Sometimes you win back, sometimes you win. It doesn't really matter because he's managing and attacking return in all three of his last matches, two goals and two assists in his last three games. So I think you could potentially go double the fans. I mean, I like the goalkeeper, Brad Lowe at 4 million. But if I didn't, I would probably go for the two defenders. I'd probably end up going Vagnamann on middle star, actually. They have so much attacking potential between them. And they're so cheap, you know. And if you're hard carding early, then great. They've got two really nice fixtures Stuttgart. I think moving on from Stuttgart though, you can look towards PSG, obviously. They played Slován Bratoslav, the last time he featured in the Champions League, I think they picked up three points. And I think they were the worth, although joint worth defancing the whole of the league phase. So PSG at home, they're going to absolutely kill them off, like, you know, by a few goals I reckon. So, and the reason I'm mentioning goals is because, of course, Hikimi, he's always amongst them. He managed seven attacking returns last season from 13 matches. They're attacking numbers. They're not, they're not fallback members, you know. So it's 6 million. If you're, of course, I don't want here. I don't want, I don't want Hikimi for sitting in Barcelona. So that's another reason that I do really like the early wild card. So people who aren't going to wild card early are probably not going to have Hikimi, but he could go big in this much. So here's someone I really like. I'm also looking at McGuire at Sabah against Sabah for that whole match. Of course, you know, we have the attacking for that. I know it's united, but Sabah, you know, on use to the Chammys league, I still expect United to do a job, although, you know, we can't really rely on him. I still, they're still projected to do really well in terms of goalscores, clean sheets and stuff like that. I think more of a long, long-term scale, though, I think you're looking at Dortmund fans aren't you? Because there's four good clean sheets there. Obviously they've got to do 4 million, but I'm a little bit worried about his minutes for Dortmund. So I think Anton appears to be safer. He seems to be the more safer, long-term. I think that's another reason my own wild card in Elixir, because I want to see which 4 million options are actually safe options, you know? I want to see if these if could do is going to last because we've got 30-40 days to see that. Como defenders could be good long-term options. I think Raymond, Val, all those sort of players that laugh back. Leftback Santa Buck or four million. So I mean look at that fixtures if you're looking at that ticker You know, they're not well tough tick a tough fixture on paper until PSG and seven bars in eight I mean, you could have could of course take a pun on brown at buying you know, he's played a laugh back number 10 The issue with him is he just feels like he's he's a banchion where it's a banchion where it's happened, you know So I mean picking defenders for the long term is is is fairly tricky Hougson at 4.5 for Real Madrid is you know could be a shell into first and then Roman Leipzig on I the ideal three You know what you could just stick with an ass of the funder for safety There are plenty of options there isn't the Marco at five million if you can get past the Real Madrid game Inter have got four nice fixtures It may be you even go for a lens defender, right? You know, we talked about the goalkeeper before because they've got a slavya bra her sporting at home bridge away Coma at home likes to go away bow to at home and have a tough fixture to sit in loophole as seven and eight so There's lots there's a lot of defenders kind of a lot of cheap good defenders I think if you wanted to kind of build if you wanted to build for longevity, then you know, you've got a lot of cheap fans there I think my issue with with the lawn is that There were outstanding for eight months of the season the last two months to sort of fell apart and have them I'm sure that they've lost It was Jacket who was the center back for them, wasn't it? Was he center back for lens? for long I knew I knew so so I think they lost They lost San Gauray, didn't they? They've lost a bunch of players and hasn't the manager gone as well as in the manager now in charge in the Prem Is you know palaces manager now or something? So yeah, so just just double checking now. Yeah, they've they've lost so they've yeah, they've basically lost San Gauray And I think they've also I think they also lost Malang Saur as well So they've lost the Santa that Malang Saur they've lost San Gauray the central, you know, the central Defensive field that while moves to Bradford and PSAGE of course who is now the the new manager of crystal palace So you know they've been hammered a bit, aren't they? Yeah, I'm just Oh no, Jackie came from Stadrini, sorry, um, but yeah, I'm sure the manager is left as well, but lawn have not yeah They've not they've not started um particularly Well this season they've conceded quite a lot of goals. I'm just having a quick look So the lost yesterday so the loss on Saturday one nil the word home against lorian The god beat two one away at a stress bug The beat ugs air it home, but was five two Um, so in terms of the three league games the one one lost two in in those three games they've conceded in every single one of them Uh a total of five goals and three games So I don't love I like long at all defensively. I appreciate From August to about February last year. They were absolutely unbelievable in the one maze and in defense, but since then They've started leaking goals and they've the missing key key players and management in in what made them so good last year. So That's fair enough I think um, I think there could be a little bit of a trap old old law Which is a shame because I know how much you love me pronouncing it like that. Yeah, it's quite funny um A couple of other like what what so you mentioned her key me as a premium defender We've got we've got through quite a few four and a half's I've got two questions to answer completely independently Are there any four million defenders that we could be utilizing here even if they're just play And are there any other premiums? Um, I know that you were hot on domaco earlier on like sort of preseason is that still a thing Well, I would I would pretty much I would pretty much ignore the premium defenders outside of Hakemi because domaco's five million seats mid priced in terms of four million. I already mentioned a few good deal You know and at Dortmund Three of the four co-mode defenders are four male. You've got psv They've got a bespoke a Mario junior who's managed to attack him returns in his last three games potentially brown for buying who's played Number ten and left back in the past few matches, but he's he's a little bit He's a little bit risky. I would say there's loads there. There's honestly a lot of four million defenders you could go with And I suppose just sort of Last question on defense and I'd like you to segue intimate field so To talk about the midfielders of this team as well Um, and that's going to be Liverpool I thought I'm a bridge were absolutely bad at three nil did the weekend by Bilbao who on an amazing team in themselves. I sort of mentioned because Newcastle had them last year in the group stages and it was The most laid-back two nil just like didn't get out a second year performance I think we had in the whole tournament because I thought like maybe psv so And obviously caribag but you know in the first eight games So that's a bit worrying that Julien Alvarez was crying at the end and all sorts So defensively Liverpool are at home to have let it go Madrid Is that such a bad fixture for a player like Virgil And then you know moving in the midfield would you would you consider any midfielders from them Before the season even kicks off soccer fans are already making predictions Who wins the league who qualifies for Europe and who's lifting the trophy at seasons end On kalshi america's number one prediction market platform you're trading against peers in a live market Meaning there's no house and as the probability changes you can buy in and out of your position For a limited time download the kalshi app and use code cup 26 to get $10 when you trade 10 K-A-L-S-H-I kalshi trade the beautiful game 18 plus only restrictions and eligibility requirements apply Event contract trading in volsaris can may not be suitable for all investors prices values and available markets Made different from those mentioned for more information see kalshi.com/regulatory This episode is brought to you by michaelov ultra good times mean competitions between you and your friends Like seeing who can throw some pig skin the farthest or rush the field the fastest winner gets an ultra Because it's not just a superior like beer. It's also giving fans superior access to their favorite sporting events Superior is worth playing for visit michaelov ultra.com/superioraccess to enter enjoy responsibly copyright 2026 and hyzer bush in bed michaelov ultra beer same blue is Missouri This message is brought to you by apple card with apple card You earn unlimited daily cashback on everyday purchases like groceries, merch or tickets to the game Plus it can be used anywhere master card is accepted no matter your team no matter where you shop Apple card is here to help you tackle game day apply in the wallet app on your iPhone today subject to credit approval apple card is issued by Goldman Sachs bank USA Salt Lake City branch terms and more at applecard.com Well, I don't know if there's one thing I've learned is not to Too much into PSG's and realm of dreads domestic form Um In terms of Liverpool you mentioned did you say yes, it's just it's just because Liverpool play and I thought it got my dreaded and they just seem like they're in disarray at them in us Look, I don't I don't mind. I prefer ever midfields to be fair. I don't mind jumping on Liverpool players In match day one and other reasons of wildcard actually could potentially look at the sloppest lie I think he's gonna be maybe an option anyway for recoveries and bands just just to make sure for the for the listeners Did you mean for match day two there for last match day two? Yeah, yeah, so I would I would yeah, I would I would pro there's just another reason why I'm looking to wildcard actually of Paul because I think I just want it. I just want a better idea of who the good Liverpool picks are. I want Isaac to keep going in terms of fitness and goals I want you know, I want to see more of Zalberg's lie um Yeah, I just don't know on Liverpool, but there are so many of them in midfields anyway And who are they going to let's talk about some midfielders then Lewis Yeah, look, I'm gonna start with I'm going to start with PSG because I feel like so they're projected to score 3.6 goals This is over at fantasy football scout. We've got to talk it over there. It's honestly amazing. So Shout out to Reese who's who's built this is utterly Insane what is built over there projected goals Top ball top ball recoveries just literally everything that you Everything that you need. So PSG offered it predicted to score at 3.6 goals basically Which means a lot a translation. That's a lot because it is slow of unbratislava again They average free goals Conceited pretty much the last time they were in the chummy's league Which is a lot, you know, so you've got PSG who are score who are regular top the highest score highest score is you've got Sloan Bratislava who can see the lot of goals and obviously that's another reason why I want to wildcard early Because if people aren't going to start with psg attackers, which to me is nuts Like it's nuts. So It doesn't really matter who you pick. I think deways deways the only one that started all of those matches, but again don't really want to be looking at domestic form because we know that these players come alive in the Chums League, we know they can be in the hospital on Monday and then playing on the pitch on Tuesday because it's Chums League and then score a hat trick each. So the Cavalier Scheller obviously the highest score in player last season, you know, priced at 10 million. He would be good. Obviously, PhD have sold barcola. So I now think that Dua is going to benefit from that in terms of minutes and has done actually, again, just going back, he's just started all three matches. Dambale, maybe you could look at his minutes and say it's a bit of a risk because he didn't start the last game, but you know, for a fact that, well, it feels like they're all going to start and they're all going to start. He's also got some legitimate competition now with Ferran Torres. Like that's a legitimate competition. Well, I mean, that's a debatable, I suppose, isn't it? But I mean, it's going to take minutes away. Like Dambale just feels like he's got 60 minutes in and then he's off. Yeah, well, I mean, they rest in the league, don't they? I mean, they barely play in the league these lot. They're just, you know, I mean, they just like, in fact, I think they're like 15th in the league. Yeah, they've not won a game yet. The season, the Drew two and the last one, but the draw against Leo, they were losing two nil until the 91st minute. They've got a 91st and 98th minute gold equal. But anyway, moving on from, moving on from PSG, but yeah, Karate Shalia, do a, I think you have to look at Bruno Fernandes against Sabre. Like he is, I think he's projected to score the highest amount of points on the scout toolkit. I'm not really surprised either. Look, we, we can say what we want about United, but they, they, they, they look pretty decent, you know, in attack to be fair. I know, obviously, whole stopped them in game with one, but whole of stopped everyone. And they did rock up, I think, you know, like around 1.8 XG off the top of my head. So, offensively, underline starts, it, it suggests that, you know, United decent. Obviously, they scored a couple of goals today in the Premier League. It was time recording, obviously Sunday, isn't really matter, really, because, you know, there's, there's still scoring goals. So Bruno Fernandes is, is definitely in the conversation. And people aren't going to want him after Sabre. So again, that's another reason that I'm mild carding early. So people won't pick United at Bruno Fernandes, you know, if they're not mild carding early. I think the players that, that people are going to pick regardless. So players with people are going to pick regardless of fixture. You, Michael, he says, obviously 30 plus attack and returns lassies. And I think the best winger in the world. Obviously, Kavariak Shali was in that conversation too. But also Rafinha, he's featured up front for Barcelona. He's on hands. He's on set pieces. Just ridiculous, isn't he? So, of course, you're mild is in that conversation as well. I think Barca this month, old Valencia today tonight, 5.06, they'll have to double chat that score, but just in a display of how much firepower they've got. So, yeah, I think in terms of midfield, there's, there's a lot out there. If you want to go a little bit cheaper, lands actually have a really good midfielder called Falvan. We mentioned him before, doesn't he? 6.5 million, he's on hands. I think he scored like four pans in the last five matches, also something. Actually, sorry, Falvan. Oh, right. It's, it's your, I wasn't even taking the mic there. Torvan. Yeah, all that, all the real. I mean, surely, every, you remember, you played, he's one of World Cup Lewis. Well, he actually played the games as well. It wasn't just like bench for a, yeah, he's called Florian Torvan. What's on the, on the end of your foot, tovan, the white van, tovan or Falvan, tovan. That's how it's pronounced. Really like how I say it, but anyway, no one else does. That's fine. I'm happy with that. So 6.5 million, he's on hands, he's on corn, he's got, he's basically a mini Bruno, but playing for probably a worse side, but they have good fixtures. So if you want to play a bit like Bruno, go for how tovan. Yeah, that you go perfect. And he said, yeah, I mean, you, there you go, you've got cheap unexpensive there. Just having a little look at the ticker. Nor love for Lewis Diaz over at least say, to save the money so that you get more premiums elsewhere. Well, how do you feel about double up on Yamal and Raffinia? Because I think a lot of people will want to double up. What about Firm and Law Pairs? Yeah, you won't, you won't, so I built a team, you won't get Yamal in and actually make serious sacrifices elsewhere. At least it's just, at least it's just amazing. Like Diaz misses a lot of big chances and at least they scores nothing from, no, from half chances, scores from half chances. So I think the gap between them is quite massive. Although you know, he's, you know, he's recart, recart agrized as a, as a, as a midfielder, which is great. I'm sure eventually when I want to triple up on, on buying, he might be in the conversation, but yeah, I just think at least say for now. I'm just having a look, we didn't do this for defenders because I'm stupid. At least say is the most highly owned player at 42% in midfield, obviously. Kawarashelya is a 30, Raffinia is a 30. Yamal is a 27%. Jude Bellangham is a 24. Vitinia is a 20. I'm just having a little look through to see if there's any surprises. Stuttgart, Yvonnevich is a 14%. I think that's because he's 4 million. I mean, anything on him at 4 million? Not really, not really. Yeah. I don't know, like, I don't know. I just think, I just think that I think we've gone through the best ones. I just, I struggle to see, you know, you know, I struggle to see past picking, you know, the likes of Kawarashelya, Raffinia, you know, like those sort of players I think you shoot in yourself in the fort if you don't go for them. Do you know if you're going for a match day to wildcard? So you don't, so obviously you're just looking for a match day one team. I appreciate obviously you still want some level of substitutions available. But would you not consider just sort of tank in a couple of picks in defense or in wherever it might be to squeeze out an extra premium somewhere? If it's, if it's not, you need long term. You'll actually, you'll actually realise that when, if you do go through that attack deck, that you, you don't want, you only want one premium striker, which, which of course that allows for, we'll get to the striker shortly because there are a lot of good mid price ones. The premiums just aren't massively in the conversation this week outside of maybe one. Interesting. Well, we'll get on to the forwards because that's what so many people want to know about. I feel like you've got so many to pick from and it's hard to really go wrong. Although I feel like the three that I picked, I've already got one that I want to change. Let's start with the big boys and then we'll sort of move down the list. Harland, Cain and Bappé, Dembellier, Alvarez, I was up, there are your five premiums in my opinion, there. 10, 11 million. So Alvarez and Dembellier are 10 and Bappé, Cain and Harla. All 11, which is quite, actually quite cheap. Normally you get an 11 and a half and a 12 or in there. Yeah. That's interesting. What are your thoughts around those five players? Yeah. Look, I think that we know how important rotation of premiums are throughout the period in UCL fans. Of all the things you can do in UCL fans, I think the way in which you navigate the schedule with the rotation of premiums, you know, as in getting rid of one, bringing one in, like for example, lassies and Cain had a PSG Arsenal, didn't do anything. We swapped them for another premium who went off basically and that's where big points happen. People think, "Oh, I'm just going to keep came because he's just a bass striker in the world, but no, he's against two of the best teams in the world, so he's not going to haul again." I just think you have to think very carefully about premiums and when you're going to have, that should be one of the first things you do when you look at the schedule is work out when you're going to own the premium strikers because they will score big in specific weeks and you will need them for cut and see. So, yeah, of course, you know, I've already worked out when I'm going to need the premium strikers and I just don't feel like I need them for the first match and I will say the only striker that it's probably essential from the get go in my opinion is Hurricane. You know, obviously, and that stuff, you know, the first couple of matches against Bodo and Viking, but then you come off him for Arsenal and maybe Adlati. Lillaway is quite tricky, but I'd still expect by and score a couple of goals that, but I would still swap him for a player who's like, for example, so just for example, for an example, by and they have Bodo and Viking and then they have Arsenal at home. So the same week that Kane has Arsenal at home and City have AK at home. So, you know, Holland is, you know, to switch into Holland that is just seems like an easy option. So, that's that. I mean, in terms of the mid price options, there all There are so many that you can go for actually start got really are interesting this week and they are just going back to projections and stuff they they are they rank high they rank them on the bass and and and and of is it's going to be popular. He's he is going to be popular because I think it was like 21 attacking returns last season in the Bundesliga. I know they've got Demirovich as well. So maybe he's a differential. But and of and of is feels like one of the most effective. There's a good first day pun you know I want to be surprised if he matched or bad the likes of Mbappe who has inter and and so yeah I mean he's mid price you've also got garasi you know Dortmund have got Villa Real Bodo Sabba Batis. I would just have garasi for for that run there and you got a look at cut and see as well obviously we will discuss cut and see eventually you need the day one cut and then obviously in Bappé against in as fine if you if you really want him again the way in which you not rotate you premium strikers is a big factor towards how how successful you know you do in any given season I think so I want to be only Mbappe for that he might score fair enough but I think garasi has the potential to to haul against Villa Real got goal in the system is last much we know how lively is he's actually nuts isn't he's even going to blank or score like four goals so he could easily secure cut and see on that first day with an absolutely monster hall. And it's all right to say yeah but you might miss out on on the buy in and and stuff like that but if he goes mad you know it gets like four five attack returns then I know I know we can say that's unlikely but it's not not possible you know if he if he does that and you know and the buying guys they've got a couple of attack and return each you know then then you're already ahead of the template so I think getting garasi in is is key I think it's important I think whatever strategy you on you're on I think you got garasi in because the long term fixtures are good the first day fixtures are good they suit all he suits or chip strategy is really I mean outside of that you've got you've got Rome has done your Marlin having scored like six goals already in Syria he is he's on fire at the moment so I mean I really do like him you can start with hauling against Porto but I think that's a tricky fixture to be honest I know Porto Porto Porto but Portugese sides are are generally generally good at home I don't hate hauling style of hauling if you want to start with them that's fine but can I see garasi and off scoring you know picking up more points than him yeah um papi at psv shactor at home like sick away Porto home bridge at home not bad you know there's there's there's a few options there I really like sure as to be fair and I think obviously there there is a 4.5 million option called Zalazar who is arguably the best budget enable it in the game probably should have mentioned him from Brage or 21 attack and returns started all four sports much is he's taken taking corners he's already got a goal and a cyst list is endless so 4.5 million for Zalazar so if you want to double up with Zalazar and Suarez for Galatasaray who've conceded what two goals in free of their first four league games you've got lands away maybe tricky but then last at home a shactor it says shactor away but shactor play all of that much as it stumped for bridge don't they so yeah the two this is in a way much for both really so I don't expect shactor to have the you know have a you know feel like they're at home because it probably won't so yeah Suarez is also in the conversation as well on pants he's he's in he's in great form as well yeah that's him it is an interesting point about about Suarez and I think the only thing maybe get me from undav is purely just the fact that the two wing backs costing a total of eight and a half million from Stuttgart and they've got more individually they've got more goals in assist than under the season so I just think well I'll just go for them above any of the others I think maybe not necessarily for strikers but just overall I think if I was going to have a little punch somewhere I'm going to have a little look at the team so I've actually not paid any attention I was just looking at them looking at your ticket to be honest I do like going on a match day three wildcard personally I think that's where my heads at at the moment and I don't mind trying to find a budget a K a K Athens player would last get home in shactor on a neutral ground for the first two is a bit of a budget picks someone not for what or anything stupid like that but just to try and shoehorn in more premiums if it's just for two weeks I don't mind sort of I mean like middle middle stat you are a couple of Arsenal defenders four and a half million that the right kind of pronounces name the right back right wing back for for just my mind's gone completely bloody blank now what's he called right wing back for all stuck got have a man that's the one yeah like yeah the keeper bread low aston villas keeper four million I don't love that idea if I was actually trying to get six weeks out of it obviously but two and I you tend to find like for the or especially for the opening night you for the middling teams against not super like amazing teams like your buy and that sort of thing they tend to play above themselves cause they're just running on pure adrenaline so I don't know I might go for someone someone like that but yeah insightful as as ever Lewis just before we're sort of wrapped that part up I will have a little look to see who the most owned for what I don't think we're going to need any awards for guessing which ones there'll be the most expensive ones yeah but they're interested to see who's gone for so 62% of the game at the moment have killing them back here so that's quite frightening and I don't like that so in as defense have not been good this episode is brought to you by Mikalova Ultra good times mean competitions between you and your friends like saying who can throw some pig skin the farthest or rush the field the fastest winner gets an ultra because it's not just a superior like beer it's also giving fans superior access to their favorite sporting events superior is worth playing for visit mcalova ultra calm slash superior access to enter enjoy responsibly copyright 2026 and has a wish in bed mcalova ultra beer 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question marks immediately there out with just pure fear a canes forty seven harland is a twenty then you've got osamanis sixteen uzman d'embellier fifteen ferran torres it ten bizarre espacito for int actually so cheap as he he's really really cheap in the game isn't he but I mean marks true I'm just back to brace it was today whenever in our plan he felt like he was going to come in eventually you know yeah absolutely and then yeah everyone else I mean what great is like grassy's only six percent on the minute yeah I do like I do like grassy to be fair and and to just go about to what I was saying before you know obviously taking into account in bappy's own ship it is absolutely awful and makes me feel sick thinking about going against him but like you have to be aggressive in these games to do well do not mean it you know yeah if I if everyone's picking and bappy against inter and and your garassie outscores him and you have cash to move elsewhere then you already had the than a lot of you know had a lot of people I think we've mentioned this before real Madrid and don't want to play the same day don't know yes they do yeah I don't say you like that a captain sea choice taken from you because you're going to be yourself a bit of a headache there whereas I just fancy I just fancy garassie at home to Villarreal I'd back when I get two returns in that game and Babae missed an ungodly XG, the other nice against Benius, so it was a really awesome match. We're just going to sit back for that whole game, for that whole game, they are barely going to attack, you know, it's all right, in Syria it's fine to go out and attack because they've got better attackers than most other teams, but there's no way they're going to go toe to toe at the end of our day. They know that they're not stupid. The best way of getting anything from that game is to sit back to funding and catch them out on the break. Big fan of the Luis Suarez shot as well. I'm a big fan of that. I think he was six million last season, so he's gone up. He's gone out. He was cheaper than that. Yeah, he might be, you know, he was in the fives. He was five and a half. Yeah. And then the season before that he was four and a half. Yeah, those were the days, eh? Those were the days of our lives. So yeah, just before we wrap this one up, we've been on year long enough, Luis. It's very briefly, is there any other team or player that you've forgotten about, not mentions anything at all that you feel we should be made aware of before going into the games on Tuesday? Well, obviously, again, you know, there's obviously the usual tips of looking at where you're going to put premiums. That could dictate your chip strategy. That could dictate your chip plan. And you also have to remember that, you know, like we've said a couple of times that the match day is spread across free, free, much, free days. So you ideally, you need to cut, you need a good cut and see option for each day. Like you can't not have a cut and see a good cut and see option for the, for the first day. I think you have to have either grass, or a buffet in my opinion. Yes. I think you want to be, I think you want to play the game really bold in a very bold fashion. I think you, I think you could go belling them over and bat bay. Yeah, maybe. In giving how in a wrong way, well, I think I think belling them would probably be a better pick for this one game. But it's going to take balls because at the end of the day, belling them has been picked by a few people and bat bays being picked by two thirds of the game. So you want like it, that's what it's going to take at the end of the day if you want to try and get a heads up on that and then maybe use the, the funds a bit better. So I do think like the seven, so many seven and a half million forwards that are way better than their seven and a half million equivalent counter parts in midfield. I feel like midfield's a bit of a dead area in terms of you know, that sort of mid budget. It feels like anyone you want is eight and above and then anyone below that you're not really bothered about and I kind of remember the last time I was ball recoveries on here. Yeah, yeah, I mean, a lot of ball recoveries are really important. What I would say though, what I would say though, and I think one of the reasons we haven't really mentioned ball recoveries is because I think that I think prices have really steered a lot of conversations. I think attacking, attacking potential has really steered a lot of our combinations. You know, the combination of both middle stat, 4.5 million super, super attacking on pans. You know, you've got brown four million for buying, he's playing the number 10. You've got Wagner Man, the opposite four back for Leipzig and then you've got a load of four million options, you know, like Raymond from Como, Val from Como as well and Gidoo from Dortmund. So you know, if everyone was priced at 4.5 million, we'd be having a different, if there were a lack of four million, we'd be having a different conversation in regards to ball recoveries. But for me, the priority list does seem like, you know, that ball recoveries is down a little bit at the start. They seize, and obviously that will change, of course. But early on, I think there's just too many good four million, too many good attacking, you know, forwards. It's not like FPL where you, you know, you straight away, you need to look for the Fcon defenders. With this, there's just so many good four million and attacking defenders that you're kind of forced away from ball recoveries in a sense. Yeah. Agreed, agreed. Fantastic. Well, Lewis, thank you so much. Obviously, if you want to find Lewis on social media, he is at FPL reaction. The podcast is at Fantasy Football Scout in I am at UCL Fantasy Daniel. If you want to follow Hayden as well, although he wasn't on this podcast, he will be on the next one. He is a permanent fixture. He's just currently lives in the Caribbean and was flying back today to the sunny, sunny area of the UK to join us all in wet misery that is going to be this winter. But he's going to be here throughout the season. He is a big four FPL. Thank you, everyone for listening. We will or should have another podcast out before the deadline as well, where we go through some Q&A. So Lewis, remember to pause those questions on X and we will also give our first draft. Well, I say a first draft, probably your million draft Lewis team reveals. So join us for that. All that's left for tonight is for Lewis to say goodbye. See you guys. Every game day, you show up for your team. Now, it's your time. Ask your prescriber about WeGovie, some maglatide injection 2.4 milligrams, a GOP1. Call 1-8-3-3-4 WeGovie or visit WeGovie.com to view the medication guide and to learn more about WeGovie. Why wait? We go deep. Fall is the perfect time to refresh and reorganize your space. At the Home Depot, find power tools and tool sets starting at $50 to help tackle DIY projects, home updates, and more, whether you're drilling brackets to support new shelving or sharpening your head streamer blade with an angle grinder. 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