UK League of Legends team Fnatic Rising won three matches out of three in the European Masters group stages.
They now stand on the brink of making it to Leicester for the European Masters finals. What are their chances? Megalodontus takes a look.
In our previous piece, we delved into Fnatic Rising’s chances against their group stage opponents.
In the first match, Fnatic did not give Misftis Premier a chance to deploy their bloodthirsty style.
Dan read Obsess extremely well and prevented the daredevil botlane of Neon and H1iva from snowballing, enabling Fnatic bot lane duo xMatty and Targamas to more or less take over the game.
Fans were also treated to an unexpected Akali pick for Shikari in the toplane.
A destruction from #FNATICRISING! ??
We start the #EUMasters‘ Group of Death with a huge win against @MisfitsGG Premier.
We’re here on a quest to take the UK to the top! ?? pic.twitter.com/XYumDpy7aV
— FNATIC (@FNATIC) April 15, 2019
Fnatic Rising took on Rogue Esports Club next. This was one of the most anticipated matches of groups for it featured Rogue, a team who many expected to make the finals and Fnatic, a potential dark horse and contender for the title.
Hoping to capitalise on Fnatic’s trait of indecision past 20/25 minutes, Rogue decided to draft a near full scaling composition that included the oppressive Sona/Taric botlane.
Fnatic Rising, in response, drafted Veigar/Pyke and went full throttle from the get-go. It proved to be an emphatic victory for Fnatic.
The last game for Fnatic was rather one-sided. AS Trenčín unfortunately had to face the onslaught of the English knights armed with unbreakable lances, so, predictably, this was no David and Goliath story. The game was over in 24 minutes.
Group of Death? Aced it! @FNATIC Rising close out Group C 3-0 ?? #EUMasters
? https://t.co/5zPMKtDVsX pic.twitter.com/wO8xppa7G7
— ESL LoL (@ESLLoL) April 18, 2019
Group of death? What group of death?
Fnatic have rightfully earned the UK the respect of fellow competitors.
Who are the final eight teams and who do Fnatic face next?
On Sunday April 21st at 9pm CEST, Fnatic Rising will take on Ventus Esports from the Nordics in a best of three match in the European Masters playoffs stages.
Making the semi-finals would be a monumental result for the British circuit, but Fnatic Rising will of course have their eye on the ultimate prize.
Should they win, they will face either SK Prime from Germany or Team-LDLC from France – both strong sides.
Once again for those who wish to read a breakdown of their opponent’s style and players in general, here are three guides my partner Clockwork and I prepared for lolesports: Ventus Esports, SK Prime and Team-LDLC. But for now, let’s take look at Fnatic’s opponents Ventus Esports.
Ventus: What you need to know about the opposition
Ventus Esports, a Danish superteam, trounced the Nordic Championships based on individual skill alone. Despite some struggles afterwards and choosing to replace their starting jungler Majd for the EU Masters, Ventus Esports have steadied their rocking longboats and are now ready to raid English shores.
? @Sleepinglol1 lives with 11hp and 2 kills go in favour of ?? @VentusDK! #EUMasters
? https://t.co/5zPMKtDVsX pic.twitter.com/KKTQXMcPjc
— ESL LoL (@ESLLoL) April 19, 2019
Before, in the Nordic Championships, Ventus Esports played with near reckless abandon; Now however, they’ve mostly cleaned up their overaggressive and near arrogant ways to play a more patient and controlled style.
Although, their love for a good scrap is not lost to the Danish vikings. And who better than to lead them than their new jungler named Viking? His love for aggressive picks such as Kha’Zix, Nocturne and Rengar enables his team to contest almost every early objective. Fnatic Dan, however, has shown how he can reign in enemy junglers early on with his intelligent pathing and timely ganks.
This is turn will allow to Fnatic to capitalise on Ventus’s somewhat weak early game, particularly in the laning phase. Their strength lies in rotating, teleporting and roaming quickly to outnumber opponents during skirmishes.
Ventus’ midlaner Priskornet has excelled when he plays mobile champions that can roam or join a fight very quickly such as Corki and Taliyah, so it is crucial for MagiFelix to pile on the pressure or out-roam Priskornet.
Shikari will be tasked with holding the volatile Sleeping in the top but most urgently it is Fnatic’s botlane duo who will have a task most important. Krislund – or P1noy – is the crux of the Danish superteam, and his performances on Ezreal in particular has terrorized foes.
Should Fnatic be careless and allow him to have free reign, their chances to lock him down later on will diminish severely. Also, watch out for his Veigar pocket pick, something xMatty should be very familiar with.
Let’s go #EUMasters @P1noyLoL pic.twitter.com/shFUhec9pD
— Henning (@HenningLoL) April 19, 2019
Ventus Esports have yet to face or show up against a team from a major region. When they played against BIG from Germany they were swept aside with relative ease. Mistakes they’ve made in games they won recently won’t go unpunished so easily.
Against Fnatic Rising’s ‘take no prisoners’ style, Ventus will really have to be at the best and more if they want to stand a chance against Fnatic’s unstoppable charge.
Now it’s down to Fnatic to once again do what their name suggests and rise above their competition.
Being able to face their adoring crowd in their home country is a prospect every team dreams off, now it’s time to make the dream a reality.
Fnatic’s chances of winning: 3.5/5
Megalodontus is a miraculous survivor from the mass extinction and somehow learnt how to use his stubby fins to operate complicated mechanical equipment and drink tea. Worryingly for cryptozoologists, he’s been writing League of Legends articles too.
A self-taught writer who’s had the privilege to work with good editors who aren’t terrified of his pearly whites, Megalodontus is often seen writing either independently or for various websites such as this one. When not writing, he usually runs it down mid in real life and is fascinated with watching paint dry.
