Merlin or Topps Chrome UEFA 2022-23?

[BayAreaChris]

Debating on buying a case and can’t decide.

Prices are about the same.

Merlin seems to have the smaller print run slightly. Both seem to have the similar autos. Messi has no base auto in Merlin but I’m sure it’s SP’d anyway.

Are there any rookie players missing from either that push one over the other?

[YayNJ]

Just buy some singles you really like with the money.

Seriously.

[Thew]

Debating on buying a case and can’t decide.

Prices are about the same.

Merlin seems to have the smaller print run slightly. Both seem to have the similar autos. Messi has no base auto in Merlin but I’m sure it’s SP’d anyway.

Are there any rookie players missing from either that push one over the other?

Arda Guler in Merlin and not Chrome just off the top of my head.

[kingb22]

Santiago Jimenez is a big one not in Merlin but in UEFA Club competition. Ditto Kolo Muani (now of PSG) - although he hasn't set the world on fire yet at PSG. [side note - I have an Orange /25 PSA 10 of his from Finest, so certainly hope he picks it up!!]

Arda Guler, Victor Boniface (now of Leverkusen), Matt O'Riley (now getting some transfer buzz at Celtic) were in Merlin but not UEFA Club.

Overall pretty much a wash. I prefer Merlin but I'm a bit biased. I'd say if you hit the RIGHT Match Ball it can be a very big card - probably bigger than anything in UEFA Chrome. However Match Ball's (1ish per case) is a 15 card checklist and only Messi & Haaland are huge cards, with Bellingham, Son and some others pretty nice too. But there are some real duds on that list too - Jorghino (!!), Gabriel Jesus, Furuhashi of Celtic, Dembele, Timo Werner (!!), Antony (!!) - and plenty of great players who don't sell for much (Lewandowski, Alphonso Davies, Benzema, etc. - I hit a Lewandowski and it fetched $100)

Both products this year had MUCH better vet autos than in the past - it's why Hobby box prices have stayed +/- $200 while 21-22 crashed (last year was the first w/ 200 / 150 card checklists).

As has been stated assuming your cost on a hobby case is more than $2200, breaking even is not an easy thing to do. You might want to consider a case of Merlin blasters if the price is good relative to hobby - you miss the upside of the match ball and far fewer autos but if the price is < $1000 might be a good option. Personally I'd go Merlin but as I said I'm biased :)

[BayAreaChris]

Thanks all for the input!

[kyleuk21]

Neither…but if dead set on picking one, Merlin