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The Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2024 matches continue in Chengdu, China. Slowly but surely, the Play-In of the first international tournament is coming to an end and soon we will know the names of the remaining Bracket Stage participants.
One of them is the winner of the Top Esports - Fnatic pairing. The teams will play each other for the first slot in Bracket Stage from Group B.
We are trying to see if the Europeans will be able to fight a solid opponent, or if TES will expectedly outplay Fnatic and take the first place in their group.
Let's go.
TOP Esports uniforms
Let's open the match with an analysis of TES' form. In this match they play the number one with odds to win around 1.1.
In 2022, Top Esports finished top 2 in the domestic league twice and then made an appearance at Worlds 2022 where they finished top 10. In the new season, the situation is slightly worse: they finished top-7 in the LPL Spring 2023, managing to qualify for the play-offs but failing to win a single game there.
- Tes Esports roster: 369, Tian, Creme, JackeyLove, Meiko.
The group stage for TOP Esports was pleasant, but far from perfect. TES shared the top 4 of the regular season with LNG, winning 12-4 in the series.
In their first play-offs match, TES faced serious resistance from EDG. TES defeated their counterparts by a score of 3-2.
TES fell to the bottom seed after a clash with Bilibili Gaming. That match ended in a 3-1 victory for the latter. Further bad luck continued in the lower grid of LPL Summer 2023. In the match for life at the tournament TES met LNG Esports, tried to impose a fight, but were powerless, lost with a score of 1-3 and left the tournament on the 4th line.
TES later played at the LPL Regional Finals 2023, where they tried to make it to the Worlds. Again they came up just short, as TES Ledge beat WBG 2-3, thus losing their chances of making it to Worlds 2023.
TES also had NEST 2023, where TES did not make it out of the group, finishing 2-1. The group stage of Demacia Cup 2023 was quite easy for TOP Esports: they didn't lose a single match in Group D and easily made it to the main stage. However, in the play-offs, TES did not have the same ease: TOP Esports lost their first play-offs match to Ledgeiv JDG 2-3, which is not too bad considering the overall condition of the teams during the last season.
TOP Esports had a very good LPL Spring 2024 regular season: the team went 13-3, thus advancing straight to the Double-Elimination stage. In their first round of play-offs, TES played against JD Gaming and easily stomped them 3-0. Next were BLG in the match for the play-offs and there unfolded a real drama with a 3-2 victory in favour of Bilibili Gaming. In the LPL Spring 2024 Grand Finals, TES played against JD Gaming and were outplayed for the second time.
In the LPL Spring 2024 Grand Finals, TOP Esports played against Bilibili Gaming and lost 1-3.
In the first match of the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2024 Top Esports easily defeated LOUD with a score of 2-0.
Most Popular Top Esports Champions
KSante (7 matches, 85% wins) and Renekton (5 matches, 80% wins) remain the most popular top line picks. Sion (3 matches, 66% wins) and Darius (2 matches, 100% wins) are next.
In the forest, Sejuani (9 matches, 77% wins), Vi (4 matches, 75% wins), Maokai (4 games, 100% wins) are ubiquitous.
Jayce (6 games, 100% wins) appears in the mid (6 games, 100% wins). Next are Azir (4 games, 75% wins), Akali (3 games, 66% wins), Sylas (3 games, 33% wins).
TES has a standard set of shooters: Lucian (6 games, 66% wins), Varus (4 games, 100% wins), Sivir (3 games, 33% wins). Draven (3 games, 66% wins) and Jhin (3 matches, 66% wins).
Pool players: Nami (6 games, 66% wins), Yuumi (4 games, 75% wins), Nautilus (4 games, 75% wins), Heimerdinger (4 games, 100% wins).
Fnatic uniforms
Let's move on to the analysis of Fnatic's game form. In this match, the European club will play as the number two with odds to win at around 7.3.
Fnatic began their ascent to the LEC Regional Finals last season with an appearance at LEC Winter 2023. It wasn't a successful one, as the Orange finished the tourney in 9th place, not making it out of the group stage.
The following season, Fnatic gave one last chance to roster with Rekkles. They failed to use it, as FNC, after coming out of the group stage, lost in their first match against MAD Lions, thus ending the spring split at the top 8.
- Fnatic lineup: Oscarinin, Razork, Humanoid, Noah, Jon.
Two terrible splits resulted in major re-splits. ADC Rekkles and support Advienne left the band. In their place came Korean legionnaire Noah and experienced support Trymbi. The result was not long in coming.
Fnatic looked much better at the LEC summer split than at the two previous ones. The team managed to make it through the group stage and then made it to the top 3 of LEC Summer 2023, which allowed them to advance to the regional finals. Here's the truth, to the bottom set.
Fnatic played against Excel - the main opener of LEC Summer 2023 - in the match to advance to the Top 4 and won. They won 3-2 in a tense bo5.
In the match for the LEC Finals 2023 Small Final, Fnatic and BDS had a real fight (3-2), and Fnatic ended up here.
They also managed to beat MAD Lions, with whom they played for a place in the grand final. And again, the full-fledged bo5 with a score of 3-2 in favour of the Orange. But the grand final was not enough: G2 Esports beat Fnatic 3-1.
At Worlds 2023, Orange played to the best of their abilities. The club lost the first match against LNG Esports, and then outplayed the Vietnamese from GAM Esports.
The last match on the way to a 1-2 set was a match against BLG, which Fnatic legitimately lost. Then FNC defeated C9 with a score of 2-1, and in the match for play-offs Ledge and WBG. The latter, by the way, became the vice-champion of the World Championship, so the result for the European club was excellent.
Fnatic will debut at LEC Winter 2024 with a match against Karmine Corp. Based on the experience of previous seasons, there is every chance to see the favourite (which is Fnatic) lose in that match. Next, they will face Vitality and this is where I would bet in favour of the Orange. That's pretty much how it turned out, except for the match against Karmine Corp: Fnatic closed two series, but lost in the match against SK Gaming.
Fnatic had a pretty good start to the regular season, but it got worse from there. Fnatic finished the regular season with a score of 5-4. The LEC Winter 2024 playoffs "Orange Longsong" with a very confident victory against MAD Lions. Next, Fnatic played against G2 Esports and looked good there, even managing to snatch the map, which no one has managed to do so far.
In the match for the quarter-finals Fnatic met with SK Gaming. The German club put up a fight, but Fnatic were stronger: 2-1 in favour of Humanoid and company guaranteed their passage to the top 4 of LEC Winter 2024.
In the next match, Fnatic were able to fight G2 Esports and take the map away from them, but they were unable to surpass the Samurai in the match. Fnatic also failed to get a chance to continue their participation in the tournament in the lower grid, where Fnatic lost to MAD Lions KOI with a score of 2-3. At the end of LEC Winter 2024, Fnatic finished in the top 4.
LEC Spring 2024 Fnatic finished the LEC Spring 2024 regular season in the top spot, something the team hasn't had since 2019. In the first round of the play-offs, Fnatic shut out GIANTX on a classy basis. In the match to advance to the upper grid finals, LEC Spring 2024 faced G2 and lost 0-2 without a chance. In the lower grid, they also had difficulties, like in the game against Heretics, but in the end they were able to defeat their counterparts with a score of 2-1 and move on. In the match for the top 3, Fnatic met Vitality and confidently ran them over with a score of 3-1.
For the grand final of LEC Spring 2024 Fnatic fought against BDS and it was a real spectacle: the "orange" were 0-2 down, but on the character made a reverse sweep and closed the series in their favour. As a result, Fnatic will also go to MSI 2024. In the grand finals of LEC Spring 2024 Orange played against G2 Esports and lost that match.
Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2024 Fnatic started their performance with a 2-0 win over GAM Esports without any problems at all.
Fnatic's most popular champions
Jax (3 matches, 33% wins), Gwen (2 matches, 50% wins), Gangplank (2 matches, 50% wins), Jayce (2 games, 50% wins) take the top line.
In the woods, Maokai (7 matches, 42% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 25% wins), Vi (3 games, 66% wins) were permanent.
The centre line was most often occupied by Sylas (5 matches, 40% wins), Ryze (3 games, 100% wins), Akali (2 games, 0 wins).
Zeri and Sivir peaked equally often on the shooter position. Both heroes appeared 4 times, but the former won all his games, and the latter - none.
Ashe appeared most often amongst the Spurrots. Archer was chosen 5 times and won 2 matches. Yuumi (4 matches, 75% wins), Heimerdinger (4 matches, 25% wins) were also frequently played.
History of head-to-head meetings between Fnatic and TOP Esports
Unlike most Play-In teams, Fnatic and Top Esports have already had experience playing each other in 2020 at Worlds, where Tes beat Fnatic 3-2.
The predicted result of Top Esports vs Fnatic at the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2024 is as follows
Once upon a time a long time ago, Fnatic battled TES and quite successfully. In 2024, however, the difference in the level of LPL and LEC is colossal. I'm sure Fnatic will go further, but against TES they will be happy to take 1 map. And that's not going to happen.
Bottom line: TES 2-0.
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