UCL Fantasy MD9: Top Picks in a 4-3-3 Formation — and more

The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League has entered the knockout phase. These are two-legged ties in which the winners advance to the Round of 16 and the losers are eliminated.

With away goals no longer serving as a tiebreaker, aggregate score decides the outcome, with extra time and penalties if necessary.

As first legs, Matchday 9 fixtures carry added tactical weight.

Teams will prioritize strong results — ideally a win or a clean sheet — before the return leg.

Upsets remain possible in knockout football, which makes squad selection even more crucial for UCL Fantasy managers looking to gain an early edge.

Below are our top player picks for UCL Fantasy MD9.

Goalkeeper

Nick Pope (£5.1m) vs Qarabag

With 40 UCL fantasy points so far, Pope remains a dependable option. Known for his positioning and reflexes, he consistently delivers in high-pressure European matches.

His save percentage and command of the box strengthen his appeal heading into this first leg.

Defenders

Alejandro Grimaldo vs Olympiacos Piraeus

Grimaldo has scored four goals and accumulated 40 fantasy points — outstanding production for a defender.

His attacking presence from the left flank, combined with strong crossing and creative passing, adds significant upside. He also carries set-piece and free-kick threat thanks to his precise left foot.

Federico Dimarco vs Bodo/Glimt

Dimarco operates as an aggressive outlet in Inter’s system, often functioning like a wide midfielder while maintaining defensive responsibilities. His pace, crossing, and goal contributions enhance his value for fantasy managers seeking attacking returns from defense.

Malick Thiaw vs Qarabag

With approximately 37 fantasy points this season, Thiaw offers physicality and aerial strength at center-back. His ability in defensive duels and set-piece situations increases both clean-sheet and bonus potential, while his composure supports build-up play from the back.

Marcos Llorente vs Club Brugge KV

Llorente demonstrated his fantasy upside with a double-goal performance that delivered double-digit points. Across six games, he has scored three goals and accumulated 27 fantasy points. His tendency to arrive late in the box or strike from distance gives him explosive matchday potential.

Midfielders

Anthony Gordon vs Qarabag

Gordon brings high attacking volume, regularly taking shots and creating danger from wide and central areas. He has been especially productive in Europe, registering 52 fantasy points, six goals, and two assists. His big-stage output makes him a standout midfield option.

Nicolò Barella vs Bodo/Glimt

While not a major goal or assist contributor in this campaign, Barella’s value lies in consistent minutes and involvement in buildup and transition phases. His passing and defensive contributions make him a reliable presence in Inter’s midfield engine room.

Robert Andrich vs Olympiacos

Andrich anchors midfield with defensive discipline and ball recovery. In the 2025/26 UCL campaign, he has maintained a passing accuracy of around 90.8%, ensuring steady distribution. His attacking output is limited, but he provides tactical stability and dependable minutes.

Forwards

Lautaro Martínez vs Bodo/Glimt

Lautaro remains Inter’s primary goal threat and a high-upside fantasy forward. His tenacity, clinical finishing, and leadership make him central to Inter’s attack, particularly in matches where he dominates chances.

Julián Álvarez vs Club Brugge KV

Álvarez has featured in every UCL match this season, logging strong minutes and averaging roughly half a goal contribution per game. His combined goals and assists profile makes him a dependable forward option rather than one reliant solely on scoring.

Patrik Schick vs Olympiacos Piraeus

Schick is known for his aerial presence, intelligent movement, and finishing ability. In this season’s Champions League campaign, he has recorded two goals and one assist, contributing as a forward option off the bench and offering scoring threat when called upon.

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Real Madrid are not only one of football’s most successful institutions but also one of the oldest and most historic clubs in the sport.

The club, after all, was founded back in 1902 as the Madrid Football Club, and no one at the time could have known how massive it would grow to be.

Next season, on that front, marks a special milestone as Los Blancos will celebrate their 125th anniversary and AS confirm that a special kit is on its way for the occasion.

Adidas is planning something unique

Indeed, Real Madrid’s clothing partner Adidas are planning something special for the club’s 125th anniversary in 2027 and will release a special edition kit to honor the same.

What will be the most striking about the said kit will be the crest of the club which will not be the familiar iconic logo but Real Madrid’s first-ever logo from its founding years. It will have the letters M, C, and F overlapped artistically over one another.

Courtesy: AS

The shirt will be all white, as is the norm at Real Madrid, and will have the usual sponsor logos, Adidas stripes, and the logo of the German sporting giants in light grey. The crest too will be in the same colour as Adidas’ logo.

It is also clear that the kit will not be Real Madrid’s first kit for the season, nor the one they wear regularly to mark home to away games. It will, in that sense, operate as a fourth kit for special games like El Clasico and on the eve of the anniversary.

The exact date of the kit’s launch remains unknown and it remains to be seen if there are any modifications or variations from the leaks. As it stands, however, it looks set to be a very special kit.

Jorge Masvidal has announced a major cash tournament as his bare-knuckle MMA promotion makes its return.

Since stepping away from the cage, the former BMF champion and welterweight contender has turned his attention to promoting, even introducing a glove-free version of MMA. His latest venture is a pair of tournaments, each with a $500,000 prize on offer.

This event will be Masvidal’s first time back in the promotional spotlight since November 2024. Gamebred Bare-Knuckle MMA has put on five events so far, following standard unified rules but without gloves.

Jorge Masvidal is planning two $500,000 bare-knuckle tournaments

Jorge Masvidal told MMAJunkie that he is moving forward with plans to stage two 16-man tournaments, each offering a $500,000 prize. The King of Miami will be bringing together heavyweights and lightweights to compete in the no-gloves format as he steps back into the world of promotion.

“I don’t mind taking the loss [from a smaller gate] for making a huge statement online,” Masvidal said. “We’re giving as much money as we can to the fighters.

“Really, who’s doing anything right now? It’s just worked out perfectly. As I wasn’t able to pump so much GFC, the other shows were kind of dying off.

“And now, I don’t know about these other shows. I haven’t heard a date or anything. So we’re coming in strong these next few years. People are going to have to move aside, brother.”

Anthony Smith to return in Jorge Masvidal’s tournament

Anthony Smith is set to come out of retirement less than a year after hanging up his gloves. He’ll take on former UFC heavyweight Chase Sherman at the event on April 10. Smith had received an emotional farewell from the sport’s top promotion, but it didn’t take long for him to feel the urge to step back into competition.

In addition to that matchup, Guto Inocente is lined up to face Mohammed Usman, despite being under suspension for a positive drug test. The rest of the card includes Alexandr Romanov vs Nikolay Kovalenko and Todd Duffee vs Bruno Cappelozza.

The remaining four heavyweight contests are expected to be finalised soon, along with all eight lightweight pairings.

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