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Who Will Win Flashpoint Season 2?

Eight teams have made themselves comfortable in the playoffs of Flashpoint’s second season. Among them are some favorites and... Fabio | 30. November 2020

Eight teams have made themselves comfortable in the playoffs of Flashpoint’s second season. Among them are some favorites and even more teams that would desperately need a tournament victory right now. We have taken a closer look at those upcoming playoffs pairings.

The Double Elimination bracket will give some teams at least a fighting chance. The likes of Team Envy or Dignitas will really need this, as there’s trouble ahead in the form of BIG and OG. The former two make up the group winners alongside Fnatic, who have had a much easier time in the Group Stage. They managed to make up for their defeat to MAD Lions by winning a decisive Finals, but they still can’t deliver consistently. This trend has been going on for months now, as Fnatic are constantly switching between great showings and early exits.

MAD Lions haven’t yet incorporated their new additions to the fullest. Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen may have led them to an upset victory over Fnatic, but they were completely demolished by the same team quickly thereafter. Virtus.pro, however, have shown a much more consistent level – it’s just that their peak level is not as high as that of BIG or OG. They consistently achieve solid placements, but they never ever manage to shoot beyond that. So even if they were to win over MAD Lions in their Opening Match, they would need a miracle going up against the BIG Clan.

CAN OG FINALLY GET GOING?

There’s so much potential in this roster, but unfortunately the OG boys seem to struggle with pressure a lot. During IEM New York EU, they had already beaten FaZe and still lost to the Clan on a weak 0-3 score in the Grand Finals. Since then, they have dragged themselves through these online events. At IEM Beijing, they even exited in last place against Spirit!

So a lot is riding on their ability to get back on track and win a tournament. Ever since their inception a year ago, they have not been able to crack that milestone. Some high placements are not enough to put them on the same level as the best of the best.

Unfortunately, the Flashpoint bracket won’t be giving them an easy time. In MIBR, they will face an unpredictable opponent. The Brazilians have only recently found together and are playing an explosive brand of CS:GO that just doesn’t sit well with OG. The players can’t afford to drop down to the Lower Bracket this early on, but danger lurks in the form of Fnatic. During DreamHack Open Fall, they lost two Best-of-Threes to the Swedish squad. Keeping these results in mind, they have to enter this bracket and hope that their preparation and their individual level will be enough to carry them over the finishing line.

BIG SHOULDN’T REST EASY

Nikola “LEGIJA” Ninic will soon face his old colleagues in the BIG Clan. This time around, however, he is tasked to defeat them, in order to ensure the survival of his team. BIG have a shot at tournament victory, which they have been longing for ever since August. During the Summer, they were one of the best European rosters and delivered some crazy duels with the likes of G2, Vitality, and Heroic. But this Fall saw them drop in the rankings and their most recent affair, IEM Beijing EU, only lasted until the Quarter Finals.

This is where LEGIJA can start things off. He knows his old team well and can pry at their weak spots. Envy have only managed to secure two map wins in the entire Group B, but they finally secured a match win over Gen.G. It remains to be seen whether their upset potential is enough to topple the likes of BIG, though.

WHICH TEAM HAS THE BIGGEST SHOT AT TOURNAMENT VICTORY?

BIG, Fnatic and OG are all in the running for the trophy. None of them will be content with defeat and would be disappointed with exiting before the Grand Finals. Obviously, there are only two spots up for grabs. So the big question is whether OG are ready for the pressure. Even in their weakest moments, Fnatic and BIG rarely ever give in to their nerves. For Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen and his boys, quite the opposite is true. So the closer we are getting to the Grand Finals, the more pressure is mounting on the shoulders of his team. Should they finally manage to break this mental barrier, then the tournament victory can just as well be theirs.