Champions League Fantasy: Top 5 budget defenders 

Champions League football starts in a day after nearly a month of league football already done in the European nations. This has given us a chance to analyze our options before selecting a squad in the UEFA Champions League Fantasy game.

While the majority of the points in the game are pulled from premium strikers and midfielders, they end up costing a heap. It then leaves players to stretch for funds in the defense. Hence, finding budget defenders become a necessity.

While top-tier sides rarely have such options, budget defenders can be selected based on the fixtures. Such is the case with Group D this time, which should provide us with many such options.

Here are the 5 best budget defenders in the game. We have kept the price tag capped at €5 for them to be considered budget

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Luke Shaw - Manchester United

Shaw has had a great start to the season at United

The English Left Back has had a revival and is having an impressive start to the campaign. He did sit out the win against Watford, but should be fit enough to warrant a starting place in the club's opening match in Europe.

Shaw has an assist and a goal in the league this season. He has at times looked like Manchester United's best player. His marauding runs forward will no doubt be useful in grabbing attacking returns. Also United are a team expected to get clean sheet points even considering their shaky start to the season since Jose Mourinho prioritizes his team's defense.

Shaw comes in at €5 and is a great budget option from a top European side expected to qualify to the knockout stages. While players like Lindelof and Jones come at the same price in the team, we would recommend Shaw because of his potential for grabbing assists.

Manuel Akanji - Dortmund

Akanji (R) has been a regular starter for his club

After impressing for Switzerland at the World Cup, Manuel Akanji has started the season off at Dortmund on a high note. He has started all three matches in the league for the German club in the heart of the defense. He looks to continue that going into Europe as well.

Akanji comes in at only €4.5. This is a very cheap price for a first-team defender in a side boasting of so much quality. Dortmund is in a tricky group with a three-way fight for the knockout rounds, but you bank on them rather than not to get a promotion.

The team's defense does not look easy to breach this season, so expect a few clean sheet points from the Swiss center back.

Yuto Nagatomo - Galatasaray

Nagatomo captains the Japanese international side

Talk about ultra cheap defenders! Nagatomo comes in at only €4 and is the preferred starting option for the Turkish club in the Left Back position.

Galatasaray have been pitched in Group D, where all 4 teams have a chance of qualification and do not have much apparent difference in quality between them. What this means is that the team can grind out clean sheets points which they would usually not in a tougher Champions League group.

Being a fullback, Nagatomo always offers a chance to get an assist in. If that does turn out to be the case, his current 3% ownership will be more than happy with the return that they're getting for such a cheap option.

Felipe - FC Porto

Felipe is Porto's most reliable defender

Another team from the unpredictable Group D. If any side could be termed favorites from the group, you'd probably go with the Portuguese outfit who have performed well in the competition year after year.

Felipe is the team's rock at the back. He has started every game for his side so far and would be leading their back line going into their opening fixture against Schalke. His aerial prowess always gives him a potential for goals from the set pieces.

Felipe comes in at €5 and perhaps is a sound investment, considering you do not want to shell out a bit extra for the more attack-minded Alex Telles at £5.5

Alessandro Florenzi - AS Roma

Florenzi is a quality budget defensive options in the game

Roma went far into the competition last time and even though their start to the Italian Serie A hasn't been the best, the quality in the side makes you believe they will perform once again.

Right back Florenzi has already scored 1 and assisted 1 in the league. His quality on the cross is well known throughout Europe and with a towering striker such as Dzeko in the side- you'd expect him to land a couple of assists in the group stages.

Florenzi is priced at €5, which is decent for a player of his ability. Roma is expected to go through to the next stages. While they play their opening game against Real Madrid, their other matches thereafter should provide an opportunity for clean sheets.