Fnatic finishes VCT EMEA undefeated with perfect 9-0 record
Hara Amorós / Riot Games / LVP / lagFnatic have finished the VCT EMEA split undefeated after defeating NAVI 2-0 to claim the No. 1 seed going into the playoffs stage.
Fnatic have finished the VCT EMEA split without dropping a match, going 9-0 and claiming the No. 1 seed going into the playoff stage. The Fnatic win streak goes further than just the league, however, as the squad won the VCT LOCK//IN tournament in March. Fnatic went 5-0 in the single-elimination tournament, putting its combined 2023 VCT record at 14-0.
Fnatic sealed its undefeated status in its final match against NAVI, the second-place regular season team, after defeating the squad 2-0. Over the course of nine weeks of matches, Fnatic only dropped one map against BBL Esports in the first slate of matches. The team even won matches while using a substitute player early on as Turkish national Emir ‘Alfajer’ Beder dealt with visa issues.
Fnatic are the only team across all three VCT international leagues to earn an undefeated record as VCT Americas’ and VCT Pacific’s top squads all have one loss.
Fnatic doesn’t drop a single match in VCT EMEA
Going into the playoff stage, which starts on May 22, Fnatic will have a first-round bye and play the winner of the fourth vs. fifth seed matchup. From there, the squad only needs one win to qualify for VCT Masters Tokyo.
Thanks to Fnatic winning VCT LOCK//IN, VCT EMEA has a fourth slot in the Masters event, making their path to another international tournament that much easier.
Fnatic’s success in 2023 comes after an offseason that featured two premier pickups in former Gambit player, Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov, and former Guild Esports Initiator, Leo ‘Leo’ Jannesson. The two have slotted in well behind the calling of Fnatic IGL Jake ‘Boaster’ Howlett as both young players have set the league on fire statistically.
Fnatic will have a chance to make Valorant history at VCT Masters Tokyo, if they manage to qualify, as the team could become the first squad to win back-to-back international tournaments.