Matchday 3 Recap 

Salem Al Dawsari (8.5M) stars in Al Ain  

Saudi Arabian superstar Salem Al Dawsari put on his cape and carried Al Hilal SFC to a monumental 5-4 victory at the home of the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 champions Al Ain FC. The nine-goal nail-biter ended in favour of the visitors thanks to the 33-year-old’s hat-trick in a game which also saw Sofiane Rahimi produce a three-goal haul.  

Al Dawsari’s heroic performance earned him a Matchday-high 19 points. He received 15 from netting three times, two additional points for scoring outside the box and two more for playing the full 90 minutes.  

Congrats to the 1.8% of you who captained him.

The Jasir Asani (4M) show continues 

We are starting to sound like a broken record but Gwangju FC’s Jasir Asani had himself another week to remember in the AFC Champions League Elite  

After his stunning hat-trick on Matchday One and clutch penalty on Matchday Two, his rise continued on Matchday Three with a brace against what was an undefeated Johor Darul Ta’zim side heading into the match. Asani’s two-goal spree within minutes after kick-off gave his side the cushion they needed in a 3-1 win. 

 

His six goals in the opening three games puts him in poll position for the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 Top Scorer award.  

 

If you’re among the 80% who don’t have Asani on your Fantasy team, it’s about time you do so.  

Dream start for Laporte (12M)  

After being sidelined for the first two games, Al Nassr Club defender Aymeric Laporte enjoyed a perfect introduction to the AFC Champions League Elite as he headed home an 81st-minute goal to give his side a 1-0 victory over Esteghlal FC.  

Priced at a hefty 12M fee, nearly 15% of Fantasy managers believed in the Spaniard, and he repaid that faith with a whopping 12-point performance making him the highest-returning defender of Matchday Three.  

Are you one of the managers who had Laporte in your team? If so, good call! 

In-form Taisei Miyashiro (8.5M) guides Vissel to glory   

Three goals in two games and he’s not looking to stop anytime soon. Forward Taisei Miyashiro netted a brace for Vissel Kobe as the reigning J1 League champions picked up a decisive 2-0 victory at Ulsan HD FC. 

Priced at less than 9M and owned by less than 0.5% of managers, Miyashiro’s rise continues to go under the radar. Not only has he netted three of Vissel’s four goals, but he’s also been an essential part in leading the front press for the Japanese side who have only conceded once in the opening three fixtures. 

A truly versatile team player.  

Matchday Four Tips from the Scout  

One to Have: Roger Ibanez (5.5M)  

He might have blanked on on Matchday Three but a new week brings a new opportunity for you to slide Roger Ibanez (if you haven’t already) into your team.  

When fit, the 25-year-old defender is the main anchor to Al Ahli Saudi FC’s backline. The Jeddah side have conceded just once in the competition while opponents Al Shorta have scored only once in three games. Considering this, Gameweek Four’s fixture has the potential to be a match made in heaven on paper for Ibanez who has a goal and an assist to his name too.  

Solid in defence, dangerous in attack, Ibanez is the name we suggest you put in your Fantasy team ahead of Matchday Four. 

Differential Pick: Curtis Good (5M)  

We went heavy on the attackers for the first few Matchdays so here’s a defender as your differential pick this time round. 

Buriram United centre-back Curtis Good is a viable option if you want to tighten your backline without having to worry about overspending.  

Listed at 5M, he’s the highest-returning Buriram player with 19 points thanks to two clean sheets and a goal in the early stages of the tournament.  

Buriram go on the road to Yokohama F. Marinos this week and they’ve proven so far that with Good leading the backline, goals are hard to come by for the opposition.  

Best Upcoming Fixture: Juan Muniz (7M)  

Owned by less than 15% of users, JDT’s prolific midfielder Juan Muniz has what we believe is the best fixture to help boost your Fantasy points on Matchday Four. 

JDT will host Ulsan HD inside their state-of-the-art Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on November 5. The last two meetings between the sides at this ground have ended in favour of the home side, with the Southern Tigers winning 2-1 on each occasion back in 2022.  

Ulsan have yet to score a goal, let alone pick up a point in the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25. Given Muniz’s ability to pick up points at both ends of the pitch, as proved by his 16-point haul on Matchday Two, we suggest you consider him in your team ahead of a game where JDT will fancy their chances. 

Captaincy Choice: Aleksandar Mitrovic (11M)  

You want goals? Look no further than Al Hilal’s Aleksandar Mitrovic.  

After blanking on Matchday One against Al Rayyan, the Serbian attacker has delivered a goal and two assists in his last two outings.  

With all the attention shifted to fellow striker Al Dawsari following his hat-trick hero performance against Al Ain, this should free up space for Mitrovic to make his mark.  

The Saudi powerhouses will host an Esteghlal who are coming off back-to-back defeats on Matchday Two and Three. 

Al Hilal have a wealth of attacking options, and we believe Mitrovic can deliver the demands of being captain on Matchday Four. 

Did you know?  

Al Hilal boast the most prolific attack so far in the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 with a competition-high 13 goals for and +8 goal difference. Eight players have chimed into the goal spree as star forward Al Dawsari leads the pack with four to his name.