Team Vitality vs Fnatic

For our third match of the day, we have as one-sided a clash as humanly possible. This is basically a fight between the second best team in the region and arguably the worst. Still, there's a reason to watch even though the outcome isn't hard to predict.

Before focusing on Fnatic, let's talk a bit about Vitality. Are they really as bad as it seems, as bad as everyone thinks they are? Well, the short answer (which is ultimately correct), is a resounding "yes." Still, they've been improving, albeit not at a spectacular pace. Their game against Origen last week was a fairly solid showing (all things considered), and they even had a solid lead throughout the game as well. They're expected to start with their original mid laner Milica (of KlikTech fame) but it feels like it might be a case of "too little, too late." Milica is supposed to be a solid improvement over Saken, but quite frankly, Saken has been one of Vitality's best performing members. He was by no means mind-blowing, but he did well, given whom he had by his side.

So it's fair to assume that a negligible sidegrade in the mid lane won't exactly usher in a different kind of Team Vitality. They're bad, and a single change to their starting roster won't change that, unfortunately. But again, they're better with each game they play and they're bound to find a win sooner or later.

Sadly, that almost definitely won't be today against a team like Fnatic. The former "Kings of Europe" are simply far too strong and talented to lose in this match-up. They're not entering this week with a lot of momentum after getting outclassed by G2 Esports, but we've seen their improvement over the last couple of weeks and there's not a doubt on anyone's mind that they're a Top 2 team at the moment. They're insanely talented and capable, although they're working on their synergy. There's a lot to like even this early into the split, and they're bound to improve and reach their former heights sooner rather than later.

So in the end, we have to give them the benefit of the doubt. Vitality simply don't have the tools which are necessary in order to compete with a team of Fnatic's caliber. They might be able to keep things competitive in the early game, but once the laning phase concludes, they're bound to fall apart much like they did in their previous six games.