This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Soccer series.
For this week's second leg matches, FanDuel has decided to split each game into its own slate rather than combining them into one. So, let's break down Tuesday's slate, which features the matchup between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
In last week's first leg, Madrid defeated Bayern 2-1 at the Allianz Arena, and one can expect a similar result Tuesday with Real now at home. The goals came from unlikely sources last week, as defenders Joshua Kimmich ($11) and Marcelo ($10) scored their team's first goals, with the assists going to James Rodriguez and Dani Carvajal, respectively. At halftime, Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane decided to remove Isco, who had struggled to create any meaningful opportunities while dealing with a shoulder injury, with Marco Asensio, and it proved to be the right move, as Asensio broke through Bayern's backline with a piercing run, and a ball from Lucas Vazquez set him up for a one-on-one with goalkeeper Sven Ulreich before Asensio put it past Manuel Neuer's backup.
Goalkeepers are not available for selection in Tuesday's slate, and defenders don't earn points for clean sheets, so we're going to focus on attacking stats for the most part. Jerome Boateng came off with an injury during the first half of the first leg, with Niklas Sule set to take his place in the center of the defense. Sule becomes one of the two cheapest options at $3, as only he and Nacho, who could fill in for the injured Carvajal at right-back, are the only potential starters at that price. Nacho, if he starts, is one of the top value options on the board, as he has not dropped below 16 fantasy points in six UCL appearances this season. He comes into Tuesday's match nursing a thigh problem, which could force him to the bench for the start of the match, but Zidane's lack of options at that position could see Nacho make the start.
In regard to defenders, I consider Kimmich and Marcelo as the clear top options. Their goals in the first leg indicate their ability in the final third, and Kimmich often takes a lot of Bayern's free kicks and corners. I prefer Kimmich of the two, not only because of the free kicks but also because the Bavarians need at least two goals to advance, which undoubtedly means that he will be directed to get forward often. Marcelo will need to stay back more than usual in this one, as long as Madrid maintain their aggregate lead, so his chances of repeating last week's performance are not as good. I recommend taking Kimmich, or falling all the way down to a Nacho, or even Rafinha ($4), if you are looking to roster a defender.
I have never been a fan of picking defenders in slates like these, as their chances of scoring are always lower than attacking players, even if that didn't hold true last week. Many FanDuel players will see both Kimmich and Marcelo's goals in the first leg and lock them into their lineups, but I wouldn't advise following suit. With the exception of Kimmich, the defender position should only allow you to pay up elsewhere, as there are a few dirt cheap defenders on the slate. As for the midfield, there is a good amount to choose from, with several players likely lining up as wingers.
I must start with Marco Asensio, whose price is way too low if he starts. At only $6, and being one of the most dangerous players on the field (as we saw in the first leg), he is almost certain to meet value. With Bayern pushing forward in search of a goal, there should be plenty of room for Asensio to work with, and as seen last week, he is a menace on the break. He could line up next to Ronaldo, giving him a great chance to grab an assist, though it also frees up even more room for the Spaniard to break through the Bayern backline.
Another midfielder I would recommend is Lucas Vazquez ($8). While Vazquez and Asensio aren't guaranteed to start, the two linked up for Real's game-winning goal at the Allianz, so it will be hard for Zidane to omit them from the lineup. Vazquez is a sound defender with a high work rate, one that could see him start at right-back, so he is useful for Madrid's current situation and gives him a decently high floor on FanDuel.
James Rodriguez ($13) and Toni Kroos ($12) are priced quite high, and though they take most of their team's set pieces, I would rather save for Cristiano Ronaldo ($17), who will consume a good chunk of your salary. However, he is, by far, the most likely player to find the back of the net Tuesday. He actually beat Ulreich in the first leg, but his goal was called off due to a handling of the ball. His failure to score in that match marked the end of his 12-game goal-scoring streak, and he is highly likely to start a new one Tuesday.
The last player I'll discuss is Franck Ribery ($9), who managed to fire four shots in the first leg, two of which were on goal. He was the closest to scoring Bayern's second goal of the game on several occasions, but his touch was a bit off, and the accuracy of his shots lacked a bit of precision. However, he caused a ton of problems for the Madrid backline, and Carvajal's injury could force Nacho do deal with Ribery, which is a bit of a plus.
Ultimately, I would recommend fitting in Ronaldo, and then perhaps locking in Nacho, which should allow you to fit in the rest of the guys that you wish to play. Asensio and Vazquez should be high on that list, while players like Robert Lewandowski ($13) and Thomas Muller ($10) should be regarded as tournament plays because they have to score in order to meet value.
