Champions League quarterfinal round will come to an end on Wednesday but not until Juventus, Monaco, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid lay it all on the line. The four teams combined for just one goal between them in their opening legs. Juventus leads Monaco 1-0 on aggregate heading in to their rematch at the Stade Louis II while the Bernabeu will be rocking when Real and Atletico put it all on the line after a 0-0 draw in their opening leg.
Here is a look at the optimal lineups for Wednesday’s Champions League action.
GK: Gianluigi Buffon, Juventus
Salary: $5,500
Buffon is the most expensive of the four goalkeepers available but he is undoubtedly worth the investment as Juventus looks to close the door on Monaco for the second straight match. Monaco will throw everything it has at Juventus as they try and rally from a 1-0 deficit at home but Juventus is among the best teams remaining in terms of their ability to make a game boring with their stellar defensive form. When they do give up scoring opportunities, Buffon will be there to make the necessary saves.
D: Patrice Evra, Juventus
Salary: $4,400
Juventus will undoubtedly do its best to stifle the Monaco attack with the understanding that they can advance with a 0-0 or 1-1 draw. That means Evra is an excellent fit as a defensive midfielder eligible at the defender spot here at a reasonable price. Evra has the potential to do a bit of everything and be all over the field for Juventus, so he is a smart play here.
D: Leonardo Bonucci, Juventus
Salary: $4,300
Bonucci is a pure defender but he should see plenty of action holding off the Monaco attack at the center of the Juventus defense. That should help him produce a quality fantasy stat line. There is a very real possibility of the clean sheet bonus being in play with Juventus players, so we won’t shy away from them at quality prices on the back end.
M: James Rodriguez, Real Madrid
Salary: $8,700
Real Madrid has had its fair share of struggles against its La Liga rivals over the years but one player that could help make a difference for them at home for the second leg is James. The Columbian international enjoyed a breakthrough on the world stage at last year’s World Cup and he could find his breakthrough moment for Real Madrid as this rivalry comes to a head in the second leg. Considering his availability for almost $4,000 less than Cristiano Ronaldo, James is definitely the best play available for Real.
M: Andrea Pirlo, Juventus
Salary: $5,000
One of the benefits of the 1-0 advantage on aggregate will be the chances that Juventus gets on the counterattack with Pirlo feeding his fellow midfielders and strikers in transition. Pirlo isn’t the same athletic force as some of the other players in this tournament but his elite place kicking gives him the ability to score on the first shot he takes. With the stakes so high against Monaco, it makes a lot of sense to take a shot with Pirlo at an excellent price.
F: Mario Mandzukic, Atletico Madrid
Salary: $7,400
Considering Atletico’s ability to frustrate Real in recent competitions, it makes a lot of sense to pass on a player like Ronaldo and load up on Atletico’s best two strikers with Mandzukic the more lethal of the two heading in to this rematch. Consistency has certainly been an issue for Atletico in recent weeks but if there is one player that will step up for them up front in this crucial game, it could be Mandzukic.
F: Antoine Griezmann, Atletico Madrid
Salary: $6,300
Working in tandem with Mandzukic up front for Atletico will be Griezmann, who some experts may argue as the better fit for Wednesday’s games considering his ability and the fact that he is listed at $1,100 less than his fellow striker. This game certainly seems to have the higher scoring potential for Wednesday’s games, so it makes sense to load up on the Atletico strikers with Real Madrid’s James already locked in as a midfielder.
FLEX: Carlos Tevez, Juventus
Salary: $8,200
Tevez scored the only goal in the opening leg of the quarterfinal between Juventus and Monaco. His finishing ability makes him an excellent FLEX option heading in to the second leg with the Serie A side potentially one goal away from securing a spot in the final four. The second leg between these teams should be just as much of a defensive struggle as the first leg was but if there is one striker available in this game that should be considered the most likely to make an impact on the score sheet, it is Tevez.
