Listed here are our VCT 2024 EMEA Kickoff predictions, guessing the winners, favorites and extra
The 2024 EMEA Kickoff is the second regional league occasion because the Valorant franchise. This time, 11 groups might be competing for spots in Masters Madrid and Champions factors.
Most groups have undergone important roster modifications, whereas just a few have saved their squad intact. In consequence, it’s solely pure to anticipate an influence shift. With that being stated, let’s predict the favorites, underdogs and early exits of the EMEA Kickoff.
VCT 2024 EMEA Kickoff Predictions: Winner
Whereas we like to make daring predictions on the aspect of the underdogs, we’re going with the most secure decide by predicting FNATIC to dominate this occasion.
FNATIC
- Timofey “Chronicle” Khromov
- Jake “Boaster” Howlett
- Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev
- Leo “Leo” Jannesson
- Emir “Alfajer” Beder
- Chris “Elmabuddy” Tebbit (Head Coach)
The obvious decide for the winner of the EMEA League can be FNATIC. Trying again at their 2023 season, there isn’t any doubt that FNATIC was essentially the most constant workforce on the planet. They lifted trophies at LOCK//IN and Masters Tokyo and had the longest win streak out of some other groups. Profitable two out of three world VCT occasions and displaying an unbelievable run within the EMEA League landed FNATIC on our greatest workforce of 2023 checklist.
As anticipated, the kings of EMEA didn’t deliver any change to their roster, and we might be seeing the identical beginning 5. Nevertheless, world-class coach Jacob “mini” Harris stepped down from the pinnacle coach place to now assistant coach.
FNATIC having the very best seed within the Kickoff means they’ll solely have to have three consecutive victories to win the league, and we’ve seen them take pleasure in win streaks that had been for much longer in 2023.
VCT 2024 EMEA Kickoff Predictions: Different Favorites
Aside from FNATIC, these two are our favorites to safe the highest spots of the occasion:
NAVI
- Kyrylo “ANGE1” Karasov
- Andrey “Shao” Kiprsky
- Pontus “Zyppan” Eek
- Dmitry “SUYGETSU” Ilyushin
- Ardis “ardiis” Svarenieks
- Erik “d00mbr0s” Sandgren (Head coach)
Whereas NAVI confronted disappointing losses in worldwide occasions, they’d a dominating efficiency within the EMEA League final 12 months with Mehmet “cNed” Yağız İpek as their Duelist participant. For 2024, the previous Copenhagen-winning FPX core has returned, with ardiis coming again to the workforce from his journey with North America’s NRG.
Whereas cNed was an distinctive participant for the European squad, having an outdated member that you just received Masters with has the chance to extend NAVI’s morale and efficiency. We predict this squad to safe one of many prime three spots, even qualifying themselves for the upcoming Masters.
FUT Esports
- Furkan “MrFaliN” Yeğen
- Eray “yetujey” Budak
- Ata “AtaKaptan” Tan
- Mehmet “cNed” Yağız İpek
- Doğukan “qRaxs” Balaban
- Eray “Gais” Sarikaya (Head coach)
The Turkish squad had a formidable efficiency final 12 months, securing spots in each Masters and Champions of their first 12 months of competing alongside tier 1 groups. This 12 months, they’ve introduced among the finest Turkish gamers on the planet to their roster. With cNed, the efficiency of this squad is anticipated to enhance.
VCT 2024 EMEA Kickoff Predictions: Darkish Horses
Whereas the expectations might be low for this workforce, we expect they’ve the potential to be nice and convey big upsets within the Kickoff:
Light Mates
- Beyazıt “beyAz” Körpe
- Logan “logaN” Corti
- Nathan “nataNk” Bocqueho
- Jonathan “TakaS” Paupard
- Wailers “Wailers” Locart
- Kévin “Ex6TenZ” Droolans (Head Coach)
Light Mates was some of the constant groups within the French T2 scene, and so they have the potential to not solely go previous the present French workforce within the franchised league, but additionally defeat a few of the different prime names in tier 1.
Since this roster is coming from Ascension, expectations might be low on them. That being stated, this workforce’s steady effort within the Challengers League all through all of final 12 months is prone to come to fruition in 2024.
VCT 2024 EMEA Kickoff Predictions: Early Exits
These are the groups we predict to get eradicated early from the Group Stage of the Kickoff:
Karmine Corp
- Martin “MAGNUM” Penkov
- Tomás “tomaszy” Machado
- Marshall “N4RRATE” Massey
- Martin “marteen” Pátek
- Ryad “sh1n” Ensaad
- Andrey “ENGH” Sholokhov (Head coach)
Karmine Corp’s poor efficiency made them a laughingstock in 2023, as even with proficient members like Adil “ScreaM” Benrlitom and Nabil “Nivera” Benrlitom, they confronted disappointing outcomes. Going into 2023, solely sh1n from their previous roster stays, and the workforce is transferring ahead with 4 new members, considered one of them being N4RRATE from North American Challengers.
Whereas the addition of recent members appears promising for KC’s 2024 season, we don’t see them making it out of the Group Stage.
Workforce Heretics
- Ričardas “Boo” Lukaševičius
- Dominykas “MiniBoo” Lukaševičius
- Mert “Wo0t” Alkan
- Enes “RieNs” Ecirli
- Benjy “benjyfishy” David Fish
- Patryk “paTiTek” Fabrowski (sub)
- Neil “neilzinho” Finlay (Head coach)
Whereas the addition of Óscar “mixwell” Cañellas and Wassim “keloqz” Cista was anticipated to offer fantastic outcomes, Workforce Heretics’ 2023 was stuffed with disappointment. The roster has been totally reworked, for essentially the most half, with numerous new members. Nevertheless, the brand new gamers lack the expertise of competing in tier 1, and it will likely be laborious for them to go previous the Group Stage within the EMEA League.
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