Team Liquid’s star player, Amer ‘Miracle-‘ Al-Barkawi, will not be attending The Chongqing Major due to an unexpected personal matter.
In a post on Twitter, Liquid confirmed that Miracle’s absence is not due to visa issues, as previously speculated. They have requested privacy for Miracle during this time, and will provide updates when possible.
In celebrating their two-year anniversary as a roster on Jan. 2, Liquid’s Dota 2 squad has remained unchanged, making history in the ever-changing pro scene.
As one of the top Dota teams in the world, Liquid’s chances of winning their first major event of 2019 have been significantly impacted by the loss of Miracle.
However, Valve has approved the addition of emergency stand-in, Chu “shadow” Zeyu, who brings his own impressive track record to the team.
Despite the addition of Zeyu, the absence of Miracle may still have a negative impact on Liquid’s team dynamic and their chances of winning the event.
Liquid will face a 40 percent penalty on any points earned from the event due to the substitution during the LAN portion of the Major. They are currently in discussions with Valve regarding this penalty.
The event matches will begin on Jan. 18, with Liquid’s first match scheduled for Jan. 19 against The Pango.