Champions League Matchday 2 Player Picks: Olise, Kane Lead Fantasy Targets
With 18 fixtures spread across Tuesday and Wednesday, Champions League Matchday 2 player picks are dominating fantasy football discussions as managers finalise their squads for the second round of action. The international break has passed, and attention has shifted back to Europe’s elite club competition, where Matchday 1 delivered a clear set of standout performers.
Goalkeeper: David Raya
Arsenal’s David Raya offers a reliable route to points after keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over Napoli on Matchday 1. That performance earned him seven fantasy points. Arsenal now face Lille, who conceded three goals in a 3-2 defeat to Real Betis, giving Raya a favourable opportunity to build on his opening display.
Defenders: Nuno Mendes, Gabriel, Virgil van Dijk, Sergino Dest
Nuno Mendes provided an assist in PSG’s 6-1 thrashing of Slovan Bratislava. Paris Saint-Germain travel to Manchester City on Matchday 2, a tougher test but one that still offers attacking potential for the full-back.
Gabriel Magalhaes lines up for Arsenal against Lille, and the Brazilian benefits from the same clean-sheet outlook as Raya. Virgil van Dijk’s Liverpool visit LASK, who failed to score against AEK Athens on Matchday 1, though Liverpool themselves conceded twice against Atletico Madrid.
Sergino Dest scored in PSV’s 1-1 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk and collected 11 fantasy points, making him a strong option despite PSV’s less glamorous fixture.
Midfielders: Michael Olise, Bukayo Saka, Raphinha, Jude Bellingham
Michael Olise is the headline act. He scored twice and assisted once in Bayern Munich’s 5-0 win over Bodo/Glimt, earning 21 fantasy points as the highest-scoring player on Matchday 1. Bayern travel to Viking, who lost 3-1 to Stuttgart, and Olise is a prime captaincy candidate.
Bukayo Saka faces the same Lille defence as his Arsenal teammates, while Raphinha remains a doubt after returning early from international duty with a muscle injury. The Barcelona winger had scored 14 goals across all competitions before Matchday 2 and netted twice in a 5-1 win over Feyenoord, but his fitness must be monitored. Barcelona visit Galatasaray, who lost 3-1 to Sporting CP.
Jude Bellingham scored once and assisted three times for England in a 7-0 win over Croatia during the break, and he has three goals and two assists in La Liga this season. Real Madrid travel to Roma, who are unbeaten domestically, and Bellingham earned three fantasy points against Inter on Matchday 1.
Forwards: Harry Kane, Lautaro Martinez, Ermedin Demirovic
Harry Kane scored and assisted against Bodo/Glimt and continues to find the net for England. Alongside Olise, he is a leading captaincy option for Bayern’s trip to Viking.
Lautaro Martinez scored twice in each of his last two Serie A starts and assisted Inter’s goal against Real Madrid on Matchday 1. Inter host Club Brugge, giving Martinez a strong platform to add to his tally.
Ermedin Demirovic is the differential pick. He scored a hat-trick in Stuttgart’s 3-1 win over Viking and earned 17 fantasy points. Stuttgart face Slovan Bratislava, who conceded six goals against PSG on Matchday 1, making Demirovic an appealing low-ownership option.
Captaincy and differential tips
Olise and Kane stand out as the safest captaincy choices given their Matchday 1 returns and favourable fixtures. Demirovic offers a high-upside alternative for managers chasing a differential. Raphinha’s injury status remains the key unknown, and his confirmed availability could shift midfield plans significantly.
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