Final Group Stage of ELEAGUE is Here!
This weekend, ELEAGUE’s final group stage will feature four teams – Fnatic, Dignitas, Team EnVyUs, and OpTic Gaming – competing for the last two playoff spots.
All four teams aim to join mousesports, FaZe Clan, Virtus.pro, Ninjas in Pyjamas, SK Gaming, and Astralis in the ELEAGUE playoffs.
Fnatic: A Challenging Tournament
Though Fnatic has become stronger with the addition of Joakim “Disco Doplan” Gidetun, they face a hurdle due to Dennis “dennis” Edman’s temporary absence. Despite this, Fnatic has shown promise recently, achieving several wins with the help of dennis, who has outperformed the once-best player in the world, Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer.
Fnatic had some success trading maps with SK, HellRaisers, and Virtus.pro at Epicenter: Moscow, but failed to progress past the group stage. With coach Jimmy “Jumpy” Berndtsson replacing Edman, it will be tough for Fnatic to replicate their past successes, though they did manage to win two overtime matches against Dignitas online.
Dignitas: A Strong Contender
Dignitas surprised many CS enthusiasts with their win over Virtus.pro at Epicenter: Moscow finals. Since then, they have been a force to reckon with, performing well both online and offline. The duo of Emil “Magiskboy” Reif and Kristian “k0nfig” Wienecke has proven to be formidable, and the addition of René “cajunb” Borg has further strengthened the team.
With good form and Fnatic’s temporary roster change, Dignitas looks poised to secure one of the two playoff spots.
Team EnVyUs: A Revival
After a series of disappointing results, EnVyUs seems to have found new life with the addition of SIXER and Kenny “kennyS” Schrub’s resurgence in form. KennyS, formerly the #1 AWPer in the world, is trying to reclaim his title after a drop in performance. Paired with Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, EnVyUs is a force to be reckoned with.
EnVyUs aims to regain greatness by battling with OpTic for the second playoff spot.
OpTic Gaming: A Serious Threat
With the addition of Tarik “tarik” Celik and the return of Peter “stanislaw” Jarguz, OpTic has emerged as a top contender in North America. Their recent win over G2 at Northern Arena demonstrates their potential to become one of the top-10 teams in the world.
Although OpTic faces tough competition from Dignitas and EnVyUs, they have a chance to upset either team and secure a playoff spot – especially if Óscar “Mixwell” Cañellas performs well alongside Celik.
OpTic has an opportunity to prove themselves and potentially challenge Cloud9 for the #1 team in North America.
Who do you think will win Group D? Let us know by commenting below or tweeting us @GAMURScom.
Photo Credit: HLTV.org / Red Bull Esports
Author’s Twitter: @Nohte