FunPlus Phoenix vs Fnatic

For our second quarterfinal match-up, we have an absolute barnburner: FunPlus Phoenix vs. Fnatic! Now, to be fair, this clash isn't as easy of a sell as the one preceding it, but it's every bit of exciting! A fight between two teams -- one as legendary as they come, and another that's just starting out. One team that has an entire region behind it, and another that has yet to prove its worth internationally. One that has been competing at the highest of levels for as long as the World Championship exists, and another that has just reached its very first championship.

But even though both teams have diverging narratives and differing amounts of experience, they both have a metric ton of hype behind their backs, if for all different reasons.

On one hand, we have Fnatic, a team that is arguably the poster child for the European region. Heck, they competed in the very first World Championship, and the fact that they're still not only chugging along but even competing at the highest levels of play is awe-inspiring. In fact, they've only gotten better with time. Their 2019 World Championship run, however, has been a mixed bag.

If you're a regular Fnatic fan, then you're used to these moments; moments in which you despise yourself for ever wearing their jerseys but also cherish the most durable European organization in history. After their first week of play, all signs were pointing towards Fnatic missing out on the Knockout Stage. After all, they did nothing to earn our trust and had both SKT T1 as well as Royal Never Give Up as opponents in what was rightfully deemed as the "group of death." Rekkles was a complete non-factor (and he was pushed onto mage duty, for whatever reason), Hylissang made more egregious errors than you could count, and the rest of the team didn't look so hot either.

Across the board, Fnatic looked and played as a mediocre five-man unit; as a team that simply didn't have any gas left in the tank. But in true Fnatic fashion, they were able to step up in the nick of time and lock down a spot for the quarterfinals through a couple of insane, action-packed games. They not only beat Clutch Gaming and Royal Never Give Up, but they absolutely demolished SKT T1 with relative ease, mostly due to Nemesis' pocket Veigar pick. It was an ingenious draft and it echoed the Fnatic of 2018 -- creative, aggressive, proactive, and unafraid of trading heavy blows regardless of opponent.

An absolute masterclass in every regard.

After numerous abysmal games, we finally saw the Fnatic that challenged -- and nearly beat -- G2 Esports twice in a row in the 2019 Summer Split playoffs. They found their groove and were able to capitalize and clutch things out when it mattered the most. If there was ever a team that could save a sinking ship, then it would have to be Fnatic. They've proven time and time again that their mental fortitude and sheer grit are second to none.

And now they're facing yet another fascinating test -- the LPL champions FunPlus Phoenix!

Saying just how strong or capable FunPlus actually is feels like an exceedingly thankless endeavor. First of all, there's the obvious list of virtues that everyone's aware of. They're aggressive, they're talented, on the same page and are the perfect exemplars of what makes the LPL such a fear and capable region. They're like the second coming of Royal Never Give Up, but without any of their faults.

Coming into this year's Worlds, they had an inhumane amount of hype behind them. How could they not, after what they've done back in China? To dominate over perennial giants like RNGU and Invictus Gaming with such ease surely means this is a different kind of challenger? Many people pegged them as a Top 3 team, and as a bona fide titan that could at the very least reach the finals of the tournament, if not even win the whole thing.

But once they started playing, no one was blown away. They were mediocre in most facets of play. They struggled with even the most basic things -- they looked nothing like the towering giant many analysts and experts led us to believe. Now sure, this is their first international showing which means nerves and stage fright heavily affect performance almost by default, but still. They should have done better. Far better.

Their biggest test was Splyce, the third seed from Europe, which also happens to be the worst European team at Worlds -- by far. They fought tooth and nail and barely won two out of their three clashes. In fact, they were down in gold in all three of their games, and we're not talking about negligible gold deficits either. They were outrotated and beaten as a five-man unit by a team many thought was far inferior. It was only through Splyce's own inexperience and DoinB's sensational 1vs9 Renekton performance that they were able to clutch things out and secure first place in the group.

But overall, they didn't look good. Not in the slightest. They should have steamrolled through all opposition and entered the Knockout Stage with a spotless 6W-0L record. As things stand, they're far from a League of Legends behemoth. They definitely have flashes of brilliance, but they're too few and far between to actually warrant out full benefit of the doubt.

That's not to say that they're ill-equipped or that they don't have the right tools to take on Fnatic. On the contrary. We've seen their highs and we were not left indifferent. But they haven't done enough over the last couple of weeks to earn our trust. They're definitely doing to fight their heart's out, but it shouldn't be enough against a team that's been through thick and thin like Fnatic.

Their biggest asset is definitely their legendary mid laner DoinB. If he can create a lead by himself and showball out of control then FunPlus might stand a chance. But even that scenario doesn't seem particularly plausible seeing how he's up against Nemesis -- a player who took on Faker with the biggest of poker faces and won with staggering ease (with a pocket Veigar pick, to boot). Nemesis isn't the kind of player who'll back down. Instead, he'll play up to the level of his opponent. The meta suits his champion pool to a tee, and he's bound to carry Fnatic if given the chance (and the right resources).

When they play to their strengths and get the right picks for the job, they're a force of nature. The fashion in which they took down SKT T1 and Royal Never Give Up just does to show that they're a worthy challenger. In fact, everyone on Fnatic is capable of hard-carrying. If they don't int in the pick and ban phase, they should be more than capable of getting the job done. That said, FunPlus surely have a couple of surprises primed and ready. They know they have a lot of catching up to do and have surely prepared for a grueling, back-and-forth Best of 5.