The season which has evolved in crescendo for Fnatic ended on a bitter note with an elimination before the playoffs, while the Chinese RNG and Koreans Hanwha Life will go to the quarterfinals of the world.
This Sunday was a blow to European League of Legends fans, as Fnatic had to play his place after a disappointing first day of the game. After witnessing Rogue’s elimination a few days before, it was the other European team who, in turn, took their way out with a score of 1-5.
Fnatic has been the subject of great expectations for the World Championship, but that was without counting his ADC Upset who had to cancel his participation in the most important championship of the year at the last moment, for personal reasons.
The team then brought in their academy team rookie, Bean, who his teammates had never played with before. Within a few days, the player had to catch up as much as possible and get to know Fnatic. And despite a style of play that is still as aggressive as ever led by a Bwipo who is more upbeat than ever, the team has not been able to find the same performance as with its full roster.
Return of fire matches
The team finished their first leg 0-3, and then had a few days to recover before the second leg, which took place yesterday. In the video above, the staff of the team shows how the players have been pushed to their limits. With a Nisqy who wanted to go beyond his last Worlds appearance with Cloud9 and the French nugget Adam who had everything to prove.
Fnatic then kicked off the day with an unexpected upset by winning their match against the Chinese of RNG, best team in the group, showing good team coordination in teamfight. But his performance then ran out of steam. The players lost their next two matches, against the Korean seed 3 Hanwha Life Esports where players got overwhelmed by the The White of Chovy, and finally against PSG Talon.
On the other hand, while RNG has not been in its best day, HLE showed better performance than in the first leg, with better player coordination and macro after midgame. But it’s finally RNG who won first place in the group after a tiebreaker against the Koreans, who will therefore face the seed 2 of another group in the quarter-finals of the World Championship.
There is now only one European representative left: MAD Lions, double LEC champion this year, which still has every chance. She will play her place in the quarterfinals today with a first game against the Koreans from Gen. G at 1 p.m., then against Team Liquid and LNG Esports.
