PlayTheGame

Paradoxically, it is the big games that Portsmouth and Villa have been handed that will count against fantasy managers. Neither Harry Redknapp of Portsmouth nor Martin O'Neill of Villa will want to risk humiliation in front of their own fans by fielding weakened teams against former European Cup winners. And once they have sent out one full-strength side in the UEFA Cup, they might as well go the whole hog and make a serious stab at trying to get through the group.

This was certainly not Redknapp's thinking before the draw was made. In fact, only minutes after his team had made it past Vitoria SC in Guimaraes in the early hours of last Friday, he was admitting that he might rest key players in future European games. Extra time that followed a kick-off delayed to 9.35pm local time to satisfy the demands of television stretched the match past midnight and Redknapp hinted at the post-match press conference that he could field weakened teams in the competition in future.

“It’s great for the club to be in the group phase, but it’s hard,” he said. “It will be 2 in the morning by the time we got back to the hotel and we’ve got another big game [at home to Stoke City] on Sunday. Can I get another game out of those players? How do you get Sol Campbell to play again on Sunday? This competition takes a lot out of your players. We play a very fit, physical team in Stoke and we will have to be at our best to get a result.

“I watched Palermo murder West Ham two years ago and I said they’d win the competition. Then they played at home to Newcastle and played 11 reserves. That’s where their priorities were. I didn’t want to go out in the first round, but we’ll have a look at it now. The most important thing is the Premier League, every time.”

Which is what you wanted to hear, but that approach could have provoked dismay among players such as Peter Crouch, who was contradicting his manager only a matter of seconds later round the corner at the entrance to the dressing rooms. ”I’m relishing being involved in what are big games,” he said. “This is a big competition, and I’m really enjoying it.

"I’ve come from a club [Liverpool] where it’s chopped and changed all the time, so I’m just loving every minute of playing every game. We’ve played extra time here, and then we’ve got another game on Sunday. It’s certainly going to take a lot out of us, but we’re all professionals so if we prepare right I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

Now he might not have to worry, whereas if you have him, or Jermain Defoe or Sol Campbell in your fantasy squad, you may. Your best hope is probably that Redknapp decides that he will see what his reserves can do in the first group game, against Braga, loses, and loses again to Milan - in which case, why bother against Wolsburg and Herenveen? Likewise, O'Neill faces Ajax in the first group game, so you may hope for a resounding home defeat if you have Ashley Young or Gabriel Agbonlahor in your squads.

But at least your best Spurs players are probably safe. There is little doubt that Juande Ramos will be concentrating on the league - the only problem is that there is no sign as yet that it will do Tottenham or your fantasy team any good.