Just as we were discussing Round 7 last week, we’ve barely had the chance to let those matches and performances marinate in our footballing minds, as Round 8 is here. There are no concepts left to test and no margins left to hide behind. Round 8 marks the final chapter of the Champions League league phase, where every minute carries weight and every decision feels definitive.

For some, it’s a chance to secure passage to the knockout stages. For others, it’s one last opportunity to turn promise into qualification — or watch a European journey come to an end. At this stage, form, fear, confidence and courage all collide on the same pitch.

With nothing to protect and everything to gain, this final set of Sofascore Fantasy picks is about players trusted when it truly matters. To be or not to be — these are the XI tasked with deciding it.

Formation: 3-5-2

David Raya (Arsenal vs Kairat) – €6.5m

You don’t have to be a genius to put Raya between the sticks for Round 8, as it’ll be David (Kairat’s strikers) vs Goliath (David Raya) in the Emirates. Arsenal host Kairat at the Emirates in one of the most one-sided fixtures of the final League phase round, and that places our Spanish keeper firmly in focus as a fantasy pick built on absolute control and dominance.

Let alone their minuscule opposition from Kazakhstan, Arsenal, and their defense is a force to be reckoned with this season. Raya has five clean sheets in 7 Champions League matches, further bolstered by his 7.30 Sofascore Average Rating in the competition. For our Fantasy managers, Raya is a classic final-round goalkeeper pick: minimal risk, strong clean-sheet probability, and a game state that suits Arsenal’s defensive structure from start to finish.

Marcos Llorente (Atlético vs Bodø/Glimt) – €6.7m

Atlético’s fluid deployment of Marcos Llorente this season has seen him in a variety of roles, but he’s been particularly impactful when pushed up from right‑back or into midfield areas where he can influence both phases. Utilizing Llorente as a defensive Fantasy pick maximizes offensive output, as the right-back has three goals in five UCL matches this season!

However, while three goals in five matches sounds great, zero clean sheets is quite worrying. Against Bodø/Glimt, a side that can be aggressive in transition but may lack the sustained ball retention of Europe’s elite especially when playing away, Atlético’s is likely to take advantage of Llorente’s dynamism and reading of the game. He might even receive his first clean sheet of the season a part of Simeone’s defense.

David Luiz (Pafos vs Slavia Praha) – €4.7m

38-year-old David Luiz playing Champions League football for Cypriot club Pafos FC is football romanticism at its very finest. The Brazilian icon brings rare experience to a Pafos back line that’s still finding its feet in elite European competition. In this 2025/26 Champions League campaign, Luiz, despite his veteran age, has started six matches and averaged over 75 minutes per game, a clear indicator of his role as a defensive anchor.

Although he’s well past his athletic prime, Luiz’s reading of the game and aerial presence remain useful. A 7.15 Sofascore Average Rating in the UCL, and even a goal against much-favoured AS Monaco, suggest that he’ll be up for a scrap against the guests from Prague. While both Pafos and Slavia have only scored four goals thus far, the latter has conceded 15 as opposed to Pafos’ 10, which could prove to be decisive in such a clash.

Jeremie Frimpong (Liverpool vs Qarabağ) – €6.9m

After an injury-riddled first few months in England, it seems that Jeremie Frimpong has slowly started to settle into Liverpool’s right‑back role this season, bringing a blend of attacking energy and elite pace. In all honesty, we won’t be getting into Frimpong’s statistics this season, as there’s nothing to brag about both in the Premier League and the Champions League. This pick has more to do with the opponent Liverpool will await in Round 8, as well as the fact that Jeremie has started to show snippets of his Bayer Leverkusen self from previous seasons.

While the Azerbaijans are this UCL’s fairytale story, Qarabağ arrive at Anfield with little firepower to trouble Liverpool’s defense. The Reds will be looking to carry their winning momentum into this final round, picking up back-to-back wins against Inter and Marseille, sitting comfortably in fourth spot. Finishing in the top eight is an imperative for all elite-level clubs, so let’s hope Frimpong can help them achieve it.

Fermín López (Barcelona vs København) – €6.5m

Fermín López has emerged as one of Barcelona’s standout performers in this Champions League phase, turning himself into a consistent goal threat who thrives in transition and in tight spaces. The 22-year-old has already scored five goals and provided two assists in six UCL appearances this season, showing a serious level of goal involvement, especially at such a high level. In Barça’s Round 8 win against Slavia Praha, López was Sofascore’s Player of the match with an 8.5 rating and two goals.

Considering Fermín’s form this season, we were going to involve him in our picks regardless of Barcelona’s opposition this week, but København’s arrival at Camp Nou only further strengthens his case. Creating frequent entries into the attacking third, López is well-positioned to rack up shots, key passes, and potential goals against a ‘Slavia Praha-esque’ level opponent in København.

Aleix García (Leverkusen vs Villarreal) – €6.2m

Aleix García has grown into a central figure in Bayer Leverkusen’s midfield since arriving in July 2024, especially this season, with his beloved former partner in midfield, Granit Xhaka, gone. García is currently Bayer’s highest-rated player in both the Bundesliga and the UCL, with Sofascore Average ratings of 7.31 and 7.39, respectively. The Man City academy graduate, which everyone forgets, is a textbook Spaniard in midfield; extremely precise, elegant, and technically flawless.

Speaking of Spain, Villarreal are ideal Round 8 opposition in the Champions League as they’ll travel to Germany with absolutely nothing to play for. While Bayer have been inconsistent to say the least, both in domestic and continental competitions, Kasper Hjulmand’s men will be looking to wrap up the League phase with a final round win over Villarreal.

Vitinha (PSG vs Newcastle) – €9.7m

Do we even need to explain this pick? For formalities’ sake, let’s spend a sentence or two to try to ‘convince’ you to put Vitinha in your Sofascore Fantasy XI. Let’s theoretically forget last season, which was ‘unforgettable’, Vitinha’s this season’s UCL campaign has been absolutely dominant in every footballing element, to say the least.

With a 7.89 Sofascore Average Rating in the UCL, Vitinha has four goals and an assist in seven matches. The Portuguese conductor is at the heart of PSG’S every attack, averaging 100.1 accurate passes per game and 94% passing accuracy. It’s 6th versus 7th in the final round of the League phase as PSG host Newcastle in a direct clash for finishing in the top eight. Vitinha will definitely be at the top of his game.

Rayan Cherki (Man City vs Galatasaray) – €7.5m

Rayan Cherki’s move to Manchester City has been one of the more intriguing storylines of this season. The 21-year-old arrived from Lyon last summer after a breakout campaign that saw him racking up brilliant and stand-out performances in France, and Pep Guardiola has gradually woven him into the City setup.

In an injury-ridden City side, Guardiola has recently become more reliant upon Cherki’s creativity and attacking outlet. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly depending on one’s opinion, the Frenchman is Man City’s highest-rated player in the UCL this season, with a 7.46 Average Rating. After a rather ’embarrassing’ loss against
Bodø/Glimt in Round 7, losing once more against Galatasaray would really shake things up, which is why we expect an absolutely motivated and ready City side on Wednesday.

Franco Mastantuono (Benfica vs Real Madrid) – €6.4m

The Argentine €45 million signing from River Plate last summer has had quite a turbulent introduction to life in Real Madrid, both due to injuries and inconsistent performances. Not to single him out, evidently, Los Blancos as a collective have struggled, which is exactly why Álvaro Arbeloa is currently their manager and not Xabi Alonso.

On the flip side, Mastantuono seems like he’s gaining momentum and things are changing in his favour, as he’s already scored twice under Arbeloa’s guidance. Last week, Real Madrid absolutely trashed Monaco 6-1 at home, in which Mastantuono excelled, scoring and creating chances, signed off by an 8.2 rated performance. Crucially, Mastantuono is labeled as a midfielder in our Fantasy Champions League, while in reality, he operates as a right-winger, offering our managers additional attacking threat by virtue of a little Fantasy hack.

Charles De Ketelaere (USG vs Atalanta) – €7.1m

Our first attacking option sees De Ketelaere’s homecoming as he returns to Belgium to face off against USG as Atalanta hopes to sneak into the top eight. Charles De Ketelaere has been one of Atalanta’s most consistently involved attackers this Champions League season, chipping in with 2 goals and 2 assists from his six appearances so far.

Atalanta’s most dangerous attacking option is one of the rare players to receive a perfect 10 Sofascore Rating in the Champions League this season, in which he scored and assisted in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea. Not to mention that only two weeks prior, he matched the same output in a 9.1 performance where Atalanta beat Eintracht Frankfurt 0-3 away. Union Saint‑Gilloise still have a mathematical chance of making it into the knockout phase, which will make for a great fixture.

Luis Díaz (PSV vs Bayern) – €9.4m

It would only be fair to finalise this round’s picks, and thus the UCL League phase, with a player a part of Europe’s hottest attack. Bayern have been near flawless, and despite a loss against Arsenal, they’re still considered to be the best team in Europe and one of the biggest favourites to lift the Champions League trophy in the Puskás Aréna on the 30th of May.

PSV’s defense will be shaken at the thought of facing Kane in attack, Díaz on the left, Olise on the right, and Karl in the middle, especially enraged after an unexpected home loss against Augsburg that ended their undefeated Bundesliga season. While the Colombian has performed better domestically than in Europe, Díaz has three goals in five matches, scoring every 119 minutes. For our Fantasy managers, Díaz represents one of the clearer attacking picks this round as he’s constantly active and involved in build‑up play, and capable of finishing or creating opportunities against a PSV side that has leaked plenty of goals in the Champions League this season.

Budget: €77.6m