Can we go all-in for upping the ante in the Fantasy #CLVolleyM game?

The second leg of the quarter-finals of the CEV Champions League Men is upon us, so we are getting back into the groove with the CEV Champions League Men Fantasy, after we managed to identify some good options for our team last week.

The first-of-its-kind experience for CEV, gives fans the opportunity to become the coach of their own team across the men’s and women’s European premium competitions. Fans can pick a team of twelve players with specific assigned positions inside a dedicated team budget of 100 million euros.

Haven’t you already signed in and chosen your team? Don’t worry, we got you covered. 

So, the rules are quite simple and can be found here. To start, you must select a squad of 12 players with an initial budget of 100 million fantasy euros. The initial squad selection must consist of: three outside hitters, three middle blockers, two setters, two liberos and two opposites. You must select 7 players from your squad of 12 players to form your starting roster for each game week.

Now, everything is crucial, therefore we invest the big chunk of our budget in the starters. We have learnt and adapted and now we get ready to our tenth draft in the CEV Champions League Men Fantasy.

KEY PLAYERS

Marek Šotola (€13m): It is very hard to overlook Šotola once again, the highest scoring player in the competition. While the boards have not be lighted up in the first leg by the opposites, Šotola still had 59 points in Halkbank’s 3:1 win over Projekt Warszawa, being a constant menace on the court. The Turkish side has a penchant of producing long matches, as proven in the play-offs, where they clinched the spot in the next phase in a golden set. Were this match to go long, Šotola will once again be relied upon his side, as he is averaging 68.6 points per match in the Fantasy game, having 125 more than the second-placed player in the total points standings.

John Gordon Perrin (€7m): 95 points. Whoever had Perrin is his squad in the first leg had a fantastic team, as he was the key differential in Olympiacos’ win against Jastrebszki, 3:2, in a fantastic comeback, turning the match on its head after conceding the first two sets. Perrin had 24 points, two aces and two kill blocks, delivering a fantastic performance and being the fulcrum of Olympiacos’ win. Whether the Greek side will qualify for the Final Four, the task is big, but if Perrin were to replicate his match, the Polish side will have a tough challenge on their hands.

Tomasz Fornal (€14m): The Polish star has been one of the most consistent players in the CEV Champions League Men in the past seasons, but we constantly picked his teammate, middle blocker Norbert Huber, in our squad throughout the season. We are spicing things up and in a crucial match for Jastrebszki, Fornal should come up to the big stage. In the first leg, he scored 51 points, somewhere about his average in the Fantasy game, 49.7 points per match. But with the season on the line, it’s the moment when Fornal must rise to the occasion.

KEY DIFFERENTIAL

Agustin Loser (€10.5m): Loser is another player whom we have overlooked this season in the Fantasy game. He has an average of 36 points per match, but with 18 kill blocks, is one of the best blockers of the season. Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia is a top side and is gunning for a place in the Final Four. Having an advantage after the first leg, 3:1, against Vero Volley Monza, Perugia will try to secure another win and Loser will be a crucial part of their game, having scored 55 points in the first leg.