UCL Fantasy: Captaincy Explained & Best Options for MD1

Welcome to Insanely Football‘s first UCL blog for the 2022/23 season.

UCL Fantasy is back, and with that comes fascinating times where we will have to choose the best captaincy option for Matchday 1. In this blog, we will cover captaincy in detail. We will discuss how captaincy works in UCL, how it differs from FPL, some key strategies to keep in mind, and the best captaincy options for MD1.

Let’s get into it, then!

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How does captaincy work in UCL Fantasy?

Picking the right captain plays a significant role in achieving UCL Fantasy success.

Every time you save your team for any matchday, you must pick a captain from your starting XI. Putting captaincy on a player would mean double points for that player on that particular Matchday.

Now, in case your captain blanks or doesn’t give you enough points, you can switch the captaincy to another player from your team playing on the second day of that particular Matchday, i.e. Day 2 of MD1, MD2, MD3 etc. 

It allows you to get it right the second time and get the maximum possible points from captaincy.

Do keep in mind:

• If you are unsatisfied with your new captain’s score, you won’t be able to change it again.
• You can’t select a captain from your team who has already played on the Matchday.
• If your captain doesn’t play at all, he will be automatically subbed out if you don’t make any manual substitutions in your team
• In the above case, the player coming in as a replacement won’t get the captain’s double-points and would only score points like all regular players
• If your captain doesn’t play at all, he won’t be substituted if you have made any manual substitutions in your team (including changing bench order)

How is UCL Fantasy captaincy different from FPL?

While captaincy in UCL Fantasy also gives double points, a few things are different from captaincy in FPL. UCL Fantasy allows you to change captaincy on each day of every Matchday targeting two fixtures. In FPL, you can target only one fixture and select your captaincy once for each gameweek. 

There is also no vice-captaincy in UCL fantasy like FPL. Suppose your captain doesn’t feature in UCL fantasy on a particular matchday. In that case, he will be automatically subbed if you don’t make any manual subs. In this case, the points for the incoming captain won’t double. This scenario plays out very differently in FPL, where your vice-captain gets double points if your captain doesn’t feature at all that week.

Another difference in captaincy is the Triple Captain chip. UCL Fantasy doesn’t provide a Triple Captain chip where captaincy points for that Matchday triple like how it plays out in FPL. 

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Best Strategies around Captaincy in UCL Fantasy

1) Have two captaincy options for every Matchday

Picking the right captains can make or break your UCL Fantasy season. That’s why you have to choose your captains wisely.

As we have the flexibility to change our captaincy during Matchday to a player who is yet to play, always have two good captaincy picks in your squad. One for Tuesday and one for Wednesday, just in case Tuesday’s captain blanks.

Do remember that you will lose double points from your Tuesday captain when you decide to switch the armband to somebody else. You should do it only if the first captain does not score a decent number of points.

2) Understanding when to switch captaincy

It is essential to understand when to switch captaincy to a different option.

Before the second day fixtures of each Matchday, check if you have a reliable player in your UCL fantasy team that can easily outscore the original captain. If you believe there is, then go for the switch.

Usually, 6 points is a safe benchmark to keep the captaincy on your selected option. There is no right or wrong answer here, and the criteria might differ for different fantasy managers. See how much risk you want to take, then choose the desired choice.

3) Plan for captaincy long term

It is always wise to plan your captaincy options for upcoming matchdays. Ensure you have a fair idea of the best captaincy picks for forthcoming fixtures. Make a plan to get the best captaincy picks on your team with free transfers. 

It is okay to switch premium options based on fixtures depending on whosoever has the best fixture on that particular Matchday.

While there is some upside in going risky and targeting differentials in captaincy, you should manage risk carefully. I always look at premium players having the best fixtures and go for them accordingly.

Best Captaincy Options for UCL Fantasy MD1

Karim Benzema vs Celtic (A)

Benzema was crucial to Real Madrid’s success in the 2021/22 Champions League campaign.

He scored 15 goals last year and was also the highest-scoring player with 102 points. He is already owned by around 50% of fantasy managers, and the majority will also look to captain him in MD1. 

To further strengthen his case, he ranks joint 1st among forwards for projected points in MD1 with a solid 8.9 against Celtic. He has also started the season on a high, scoring 4 goals in 5 appearances so far this season. Though the game is away at Celtic, it would be a big ask for the Scottish champions to keep Real Madrid and Benzema in particular quiet for the whole game. 

Erling Haaland vs Sevilla (A)

Haaland has been in great form this season and has taken no time adjusting to the Premier League. He has already scored 10 goals in 6 games, including two back-to-back hattricks. 

Man City travel to Sevilla for the first game, and my biggest worry with Haaland right now is whether he will travel and start the CL game. Pep has been managing Haaland’s minutes so far, but he did end up playing 90 minutes against Aston Villa on Saturday. There are chances of him getting benched as City has more than viable options to replace him, especially with Alvarez playing so well. 

Because of this reason, I slightly prefer Benzema for Day 1 fixtures of MD1. He is undoubtedly more nailed than Haaland and has a good fixture too. 

Robert Lewandowski vs Plzeň (H)

Barcelona’s new summer signing, Lewandowski, was the second highest scorer in UCL Fantasy last season, scoring 13 goals and getting 3 assists. He is also joint third 3rd on the all-time goal-scoring list with Benzema and would want to cement that position ahead of his Real Madrid rival. He has already scored 5 goals in 4 games for Barcelona and is looking good. 

With a home fixture against Plzeň, Lewandowski is joint top among forwards with Benzema for projected points (8.9) and is a strong captaincy option on the Day 2 of MD1. 

In a scenario where options like Benzema/Haaland blank, you can easily switch the armband to Lewandowski, a player who can provide a huge points haul this week.

Harry Kane vs Marseille (H)

The other standout option on Day 2 of MD1 is in the form of Harry Kane. The England striker has had 6 (5G & 1A) attacking returns in the Premier League this season. He has played a bit deeper in the Tottenham attack, but despite that, he is the Tottenham attack to target. He is getting good goal-scoring opportunities and will be instrumental in carrying Tottenham deeper in the Champions League. 

There is a slight risk of rotation with players like Richarlison and Son more than capable of playing as a striker. Like Haaland, he can also get rested. Depending on the game state, I expect him to start and maybe come off early. Though he is ranked 6th among forwards in terms of projected points (7.4) in MD1, the fantasy potential looks promising. 

If you are going for a differential strategy, he is an excellent option to captain this week. 

Other Differentials captaincy options for MD1

Now, there is never one way of playing a fantasy game, and if you want to go for a high-risk move or have some fun, there are a few exciting options.

For Day 1, you can look at Raheem Sterling from Chelsea, who is facing Dinamo Zagreb and has looked like the standout attacker for Chelsea. Like Haaland and Kane, there could be some rotation here, which is one reason why he isn’t a very popular option among UCL fantasy managers. 

You can even go for a PSG attacker (Mbappe, Messi, or Neymar). Though they have a tricky game against Juventus, any of these three attackers can do well. 

For Day 2, you can also look at Sadio Mane, who has been in great form for Bayern or even Mohamed Salah against Napoli. Both have slightly trickier away trips, which is why they are less desirable for me. 

Do let me know who is your captain for MD1.

All the best for Matchday 1, and I will see you all very soon!

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You can subscribe to my Youtube channel Insanely Football if you want to check out more UCL Fantasy/FPL content. You can also follow my Instagram channel for daily fantasy updates. 

Further Reads from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of UCL Fantasy MD1

Best UCL Fantasy Differentials to Consider for MD1 | 22/23 Season
UCL Fantasy: Captaincy Explained & Best Options for MD1
UCL Fantasy: Meta Discussion, Chip Strategy, & Players to Target
2022/23 UCL Fantasy Best Budget Enablers | Position Wise
What is the Limitless Chip in UCL Fantasy | Limitless Chip Guide
Beginner’s Guide to 22/23 UCL Fantasy Season | UCL Fantasy Tips
Best UCL Fantasy MD1 Drafts for 2022/23 Season With Pros/Cons

What’s next from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of Matchday 3 of the 2022/23 UCL Fantasy Season?

We’ll be covering UCL Fantasy team structures, must-own players, player comparisons, differential picks, fixture analysis, captaincy analysis, multiple team reveal drafts with pros and cons, chip strategy, rules guide, beginners guide, UCL fantasy tips, and more. Keep checking allaboutfpl.com for all our blogs and subscribe to our free newsletter through the link below. We’ll also be posting regularly about the same on our social media accounts so follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook keep our notification ON.

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