Fnatic vs Origen

What an absolute treat. Seeing Fnatic and Origen square off on the opening day of the season is definitely a highlight worthy of mentioning. In many ways, this is a fight between two Top 3 teams, or at least that's how everyone's perceiving them coming into the split. The fact that they're both predicted to challenge G2 Esports for the LEC throne is even more exciting, seeing how this one game could have a ripple effect throughout the season.

Fnatic is entering the 2020 competitive season with quite a lot of hype. They did lose one of their most important players in Broxah, but they found someone who -- if things pan out as expected -- is more than capable of filling the void. Selfmade, the 2019 Spring Rookie of the Split, is one of the most fascinating and talented junglers Europe has to offer. From the moment he stepped foot on stage, he was able to not only style over his opposition but also make the world take notice. He looked like he belonged in the LEC from the very first minute, and it took everyone by surprise. Normally, players need a bit of time to acclimate and play as well as they can. The pressure to perform in front of a live audience and with so much on the line is often overwhelming, and many players succumb to the burden.

Selfmade is no such player. Instead of underperforming, he thrived under pressure and blew everyone away with his impact and mechanical prowess. And he did all of this while playing for a mid-tier team, a squad that didn't have anything overly special going for them. People tuned in each week to see what Selfmade would do next and he quickly became synonymous with SK Gaming as a whole. Even the grizzled veterans of the LEC had trouble containing the Czech talent when he was at the top of his game.

So naturally, having him in Fnatic is a cause for celebration. He's a great fit stylistically and is bound to dominate much like he did during his SK Gaming stint. The fact that he'll have some of the best players in the world by his side should further enable him, so expect to see an aggressive, highly impactful Selfmade from the moment he steps foot on stage. The fact that he already has synergy with Fnatic's mid laner Nemesis is even more reason to get hyped for Fnatic's upcoming season. Many people expect the former "kings of Europe" to get out the gates swinging, and with good reason.

Origen, on the other hand, remain a question mark. On paper, they have a fantastic, highly talented roster that's brimming with talent and experience. They have some of the best players in each and every role so it's only natural to expect a certain level of excellence from the 2019 Spring Split finalists. Then again, their 2019 was, in many ways, painful to watch. After a spectacular start to the season, the team imploded in a rather spectacular way. Many expected them to pick up the pace as the season developed, but their resurgence never came. They were meek, tame, passive, and out of sync. They didn't trust in one another, and it showed on the Rift as well. This time around they made three incredibly important changes to their starting line-up, but whether or not it'll be enough still remains to be seen.

They're all upgrades, but the team still lacks oomph in a couple of key areas. Who's going to hard carry when push comes to shove? Who's going to dominate when the need arises? There's no such player. Instead, they're all incredibly solid and well-rounded. Their biggest strengths are stellar team fighting and macro, but that won't be enough against the best teams in the world. They're more than capable of reaching the top of the region, but without that extra firepower they simply won't be able to compete with the likes of G2 or Fnatic.

Because of this, we're siding with the former kings. There's no reason to do otherwise. That said, seeing how this is the start of the season, Origen has a fairly solid chance of scoring an upset. While they are weaker than Fnatic, they're by no means a pushover. Not in the slightest.