The first VALORANT Champions Tour regular season for all three international leagues is coming to a close soon and only a single team remains undefeated across the entire season and all of 2023. But for how long?
With LOUD falling to NRG in VCT Americas and DRX losing to Team Secret during the final super week of VCT Pacific, only Fnatic are still undefeated heading into the final week of VCT EMEA. Even prior to LOUD and DRX losing, Fnatic were considered the only truly undefeated team all year as the winners of VCT LOCK//IN prior to the season’s start.
Fnatic sit on top of the VCT EMEA standings with an 8-0 record and have only lost a single map all season to BBL Esports. Additionally, the one map they lost was with substitute kamyk stepping in for Alfajer, who was forced to miss the match due to visa issues. Fnatic were still able to win the first match of said opening week even with Alfajer unavailable.
But the greatest test for Fnatic lies ahead in the final week of the VCT EMEA season: Natus Vincere. While Fnatic sit on top at 8-0, NAVI have been keeping pace just behind them at 7-1. NAVI stumbled rather surprisingly in their very first match of the split, losing to KOI via a multi-overtime loss on Lotus. But after that loss, NAVI have gone undefeated and have not last a map since week three.
More than Fnatic’s streak is on the line when the two teams meet on Wednesday, May 17. With head-to-head results serving as the primary tiebreaker, NAVI can take the first seed with a victory against Fnatic. Both teams are locked into the top two spots, meaning they will both start the playoffs in the upper bracket semifinal. The No. 1 seed is valuable, though, as the team that holds it can avoid potentially playing Team Liquid in the upper bracket semifinal.
It’s an uphill battle for NAVI, however, as the last meeting between the two did not go their way. Fnatic slammed NAVI in a 3-0 victory at the LOCK//IN semifinal.
