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Fantasy scout: round of 16 wise buys

Looking to refit your #UCLfantasy team for the round of 16? Read our advice, and see if you can get some cut-price points over the next few weeks.

Raheem Sterling: cheap at twice the price
Raheem Sterling: cheap at twice the price ©AFP/Getty Images

The round of 16 has thrown up two clashes of European titans and trying to pick a winner from Chelsea versus Barcelona or Real Madrid against Paris is a tough enough task before you even consider which players are most likely to be involved in the decisive moments of both ties.

With that in mind, the potential value #UCLfantasy picks for this stage may come from the other six ties. Goalscoring midfielders and pacey wide men have prospered in this season's competition and three players from the five-strong English contingent must be at the forefront of most managers' thinking given their domestic form.

Manchester City have been irrepressible domestically and Raheem Sterling (€8.7m) already has 15 Premier League goals to his name. Add that to the fact he has scored in his last four UEFA Champions League matches and another profitable outing at Basel would surprise nobody.

Five great Mohamed Salah goals

Only three players have scored more Premier League goals than Sterling this season, and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (€9.8m) is one of them. The Egyptian forward will be expected to take centre stage following Philippe Coutinho's move to Barcelona and with five goals already in the group stage, he will be expected to continue his magnificent form away to Porto.

Manchester United may not have the relentless attacking flair of their two north-west rivals but a trip to Sevilla may offer the sort of counterattacking opportunities that José Mourinho's men thrive upon. With the craft and guile of Alexis Sánchez now at their disposal, the likes of Anthony Martial (€7.5m) may benefit against a Sevilla side who have leaked more goals than 11 of the other 19 Liga sides this term. Three goals in his last five Premier League starts suggests the French forward is coming into form at the right time too.

Bayern points magnet Joshua Kimmich
Bayern points magnet Joshua Kimmich©Getty Images

Bayern versus Beşiktaş may be one of the more open ties in the round of 16 and there are plenty of affordable goalscorers on display for the hosts who could take the fancy of fantasy managers. Kingsley Coman and Corentin Tolisso are worthy of consideration but Joshua Kimmich (€7.6m) is most likely to play 90 minutes and was their top points-scoring midfielder in the group stage.

Roma's form has deserted them since they completed an impressive group stage by winning a section containing Chelsea and Atlético Madrid, and that may tempt managers into taking a punt on some cut-price Shakhtar Donetsk players. Marlos (€6.4m) has already equalled his career-best league haul of eight goals and he is as likely to score as serve up an assist for in-form Facundo Ferreyra (€7.5m). The Argentinian striker has plundered 13 goals in 19 league matches, making him equally worthy of consideration.

Alex Sandro: clean sheets and the odd goal
Alex Sandro: clean sheets and the odd goal©AFP/Getty Images

We've not mentioned defenders yet and there is one team that stands head and shoulders above the others on current form. Given Juventus have an eye-popping record of conceding just one goal in their last 16 games, at least one stopper from Massimiliano Allegri's ranks is surely a must as they host a Tottenham side unfamiliar to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. Alex Sandro (€6.0m) appears the most likely to bolster a clean sheet by chipping in with a goal or assist but Mehdi Benatia (€5.3m), who has three goals for club and country since November, offers decent value for money too.

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