Last 16 2nd Leg: Top Performers  

Hold onto your hats, Fantasy fanatics, because forget the strikers, it was the backline ballers who were raking in the points during the second legs of the Round of 16. 

Leading the charge like a defensive dynamo was Kawasaki Frontale's Asahi Sasaki (4.5M), who kicked things off with an absolute rocket from a distance. Then, for good measure, he threw in an assist, helping Frontale cruise past Shanghai Shenhua 4-0. Talk about a 16-point explosion! 

In the West, Al Hilal's Hamad Al Yami (4M) decided his first-ever AFC Champions League Elite™ start was the perfect time for a goal and a clean sheet. A 4-0 defeat of Pakhtakor, and 12 points in the bag for the lucky 0.4% of players who own him. The 25-year-old delivered in fine fashion.  

The Big Hitters 

Salem Al Dawsari (8.5M) stays top of the rankings with 73 points, solidifying his position with a Round of 16 second-leg goal against Pakhtakor. He remains the player to beat after picking up eight more points in his most recent outing. However, the race for the summit is far from settled. 

Riyad Mahrez is applying intense pressure to be crowned the Fantasy king. His goal in the first leg of the Round of 16 against Al Rayyan, followed by a brace in the second, bagged 16 points for his Fantasy managers to take his overall tally to 71 as Al Ahli ran out 5-1 winners on aggregate 

Joining the race for the top, Anderson Lopes has made significant strides. His impressive tally of 19 points across two legs against Shanghai Port, fuelled by three goals and an assist, took the Brazilian’s points total to 69 – just four behind Al Dawsari. 

But how can we end this segment without mentioning Jasir Asani? The Albanian maestro delivered a spectacular performance, securing Gwangju's passage to the quarter-finals with a late double to see the debutants past Vissel Kobe in extra time as he moved on to 57 points.  

Sign Them Up  

Al Ahli’s Roger Ibanez (5.5M) offers a strong Fantasy option for the quarter-finals. The Brazilian defender faces Buriram United, who are averaging less than a goal per game so far, meaning a clean sheet could well be on the cards.  

But Ibanez provides a dual threat, demonstrated by two goals and an assist so far, enhancing the likelihood of a high points return on home soil for Al Ahli in Jeddah. In our opinion, a transfer into your team could prove fruitful   

While some might see it as a risk, we view it as a calculated move. Kawasaki Frontale goalkeeper Louis Yamaguchi (4.5M) appears to have won the battle to be his side’s last line of defence having played both legs of the last 16 against Shanghai Shenhua.  

With just five goals conceded, Kawasaki boast the tournament’s best defensive record, while Yamaguchi has conceded just once in three appearances. Having avoided the three Saudi giants, Kawasaki next face Al Sadd and their goalkeeper could give your team the cutting edge.  

Bargain Buy  

You might not expect to see 'bargain' and 'Al Nassr' in the same sentence, but Mohamed Simakan (4.5M) comes at a very reasonable price. The Frenchman has excelled in Al Nassr's defence that has racked up four consecutive clean sheets and conceded just six overall.   

A key battle against the joint-top scorer Anderson Lopes (9.5M) from Yokohama F. Marinos awaits, but Simakan's experience, with over 100 Bundesliga appearances at RB Leipzig, suggests he'll be a key player in this quarter-final showdown.  

Another friendly reminder for those of you who haven’t already joined, don’t forget to take part in the AFC Champions League Elite™ Fantasy Football. 

You can compete against friends, test your Asian football knowledge and, most importantly, win cool prizes FOR FREE!  

Join now: https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league_elite/fantasy.html?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=topMenuBar&utm_campaign=aclefantasy&utm_content=ENG