Fnatic Reach Grand Finals at LEC Season Finals

League of Legends

25 Aug

Martin Arévalo-Östberg

Following an riveting series against MAD Lions KOI, Fnatic won out the battle of attrition in the Upper Finals to become your first finalists at the LEC Season Finals!

After a series that went that distance, and one that the team came very close to losing, Fnatic are now only one step away from securing their first LEC title since 2018, back when the league was still being called the EU LCS.

Awaiting Fnatic at the other end will be either a rematch against MDK or a much anticipated bout against long time rivals, G2 Esports.

Fnatic and MDK put on a show

MAD Lions KOI came into the series having shocked Europe by defeating the reigning champs of G2 in stunning 3-2 fashion. Despite their great run of form, however, MDK were still few people's favorites to win this series.

Fnatic and their players, with all the weight of the historic organization's name on their shoulders, were coming into the series with something to prove. After their crushing loss against G2 in the LEC Summer Playoffs grand finals, the team were now ready to prove to the rest of Europe that they are the team to beat.

And yet, it was MDK that punched first.

In a game that they controlled from start to finish, MDK came out off the gates with an oppressive team-composition to which Fnatic simply had no answers.

MDK quickly grabbed a 1-0 lead in the series following a stunning performance from David "Supa" Martínez García on Miss Fortune.

Fnatic adapt and take control

Game 2 of the series saw Fnatic steal away three of the champions MDK used to control the previous game in Poppy, Maokai and Ezreal.

Feeling certain they had the upper hand, Fnatic simply never let their foot off the gas. In no more than 27 minutes of play, Fnatic evened up the score with a clear message to MDK that said they were hungry for this win.

Neither team being ready to give an inch, game 3 of the series was a back and forth bloodbath. With incessant proactivity from both teams, the game held on a knife's edge.

That is, until, flashing their teeth once more, Fnatic pounced with a pivotal team-fight win in the 34th minute of the game when they were 4k gold down.

MAD Lions KOI, simply unable to recover, helplessly watched as game 3 of the series slipped out of their grasp.

The LEC Season Finals Upper Final went the Distance

MDK showed up to game 4 of the series ready to show off their remarkable ability to pull off the most unexpected of team compositions when they need them the most. Opting to go for Nidalee in the top lane and LeBlanc in the mid lane, MDK managed to catch Fnatic off guard and take over the game from early on.

Despite Fnatic's best attempts at coming back in the game, another stellar performance MDK's bot lane was enough to push the team over the line and claim game 4.

With a spot on the grand finals on the line, Fnatic and MDK showed up to game 5 of the series more nervous than ever. The stage was set, and there was no more room for mistakes.

Tension among the players was palpable in what turned out to be a game of only 19 kills in 36 minutes of play. Ultimately, however, someone had to be the one willing to put it all on the lane.

On the night of the upper bracket finals, that person was Fnatic's top laner Óscar "Oscarinin" Muñoz Jiménez.

With several crucial ultimates on numerous key members of MDK, Oscarinin managed to shift the winds of the team-fights on Kennen just enough to see his team secure the victory over MDK.

Result: Fnatic 3 - 2 MAD Lions KOI

A shot at redemption

For his hand in getting Fnatic over the MDK hurdle and into the grand finals, Oscarinin was named MVP of the series.

It is worth remembering that Fnatic and Oscarinin also made the grand finals of the 2023 LEC Season Finals. The Spanish top laner, however, was unable to play the grand finals against G2 due to a wrist injury, with veteran top laner Martin "Wunder" Hansen temporarily filling in for him.

Whether it's against G2 or MDK, there is no doubt Oscarinin will be overjoyed to be there this time around to help his team on their way to that coveted LEC Season Finals trophy.

When asked what making grand finals meant to him, Oscarinin had this to say:

"I mean it feels good to actually be able to play finals in front of so many people. Last time, like, it was a bit heartbreaking for me. It was not easy to just watch it from the outside. Obviously, I wanted to play. So, yeah, it feels nice that I can play this time, and I think we are playing pretty well so let's see how it goes, but I think we're gonna do pretty good."

The final hurdle

Will MDK get a shot at revenge against Fnatic or will G2 have the chance to settle who the best team in Europe is at the moment with another finals rematch?

Fnatic's opponent in the grand finals will be chosen on Saturday (August 31st), with G2 and MAD Lions KOI fighting it out to see who will get the chance to challenge Fnatic for the title.

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Image source: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games

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