FNATIC returns to another grand final with 3-1 victory over DRX

The lower final at Champions Paris featured an upper quarterfinal rematch between FNATIC FNATIC Europe Rank #1 crashies Austin Roberts Boaster Jake Howlett kaajak Kajetan Haremski Chronicle Timofey Khromov Alfajer Emir Ali Beder and DRX DRX Korea Rank #1 Flicker Kim Tae-hee (김태희) Flashback Cho Min-hyuk (조민혁) MaKo Kim Myeong-gwan (김명관) free1ng No Ha-jun (노하준) HYUNMIN Song Hyun-min (송현민) Estrella Park Gun (박건) BeYN Kang Ha-bin (강하빈) . After a four-map battle, FNATIC came out on top, repeating the past to send DRX home and earn the final spot in the grand final tomorrow against NRG NRG North America Rank #1 s0m Sam Oh brawk Brock Somerhalder mada Adam Pampuch skuba Logan Jenkins Ethan Ethan Arnold .

The best-of-five series played out on Sunset, Corrode, Haven, and Bind, with FNATIC picking Sunset and Haven and DRX picking Corrode and Bind. DRX took Sunset 13-8, while FNATIC won Corrode 13-3, Haven 13-11, and Bind 13-4.

Sunset was a map that both teams had previously struggled on; DRX fumbled a 9-3 lead against MIBR MIBR Brazil Rank #1 artzin Arthur Araujo xenom Eduardo Soeiro cortezia Gabriel Cortez Verno Andrew Maust aspas Erick Santos after winning only one attack round, while FNATIC had avoided it entirely in Paris after mixed results throughout the year. Both teams made corresponding compositional adjustments, with DRX replacing Flashback 's Neon with Yoru and FNATIC opting into a double Initiator archetype with Neon, Breach, and Fade.

The map opened with a HYUNMIN 4K in the pistol and a follow-up 3K in round 4 to get DRX up to 4-1 on their defense. From there, DRX responded well to FNATIC's persistent attempts at splitting through Mid, at one point holding down B Boba despite their primary weapons being jammed by the enemy Vyse's Steel Garden and ending the half with an 8-4 advantage.

FNATIC closed the gap to 9-7 in the second half after a pistol of their own, but DRX remained composed, patiently sieging the B site and winning crucial duels to win out Sunset 13-8. The Duelists HYUNMIN and Flashback continued to dish out damage for their side, the former ending with 22 kills and 185 ADR and the latter recording 20 kills and 161 ADR.

Corrode was another map FNATIC hadn't yet played in this tournament, but few would know it from the result. The EMEA squad mounted a complete snowball on their attack side, winning 10 consecutive rounds for an 11-1 lead at halftime. crashies in particular could do no wrong, ending the half with a 16/4/1 KDA on Fade.

A pistol and a round rollback for DRX due to free1ng disconnecting in round 15 delayed the inevitable as FNATIC won the map 13-3. crashies ended 18/6/2 with 186 ADR and a 1.78 rating, while Chronicle followed with a similar 18/9/4, 189 ADR, and 1.60 rating.

The closest map of the four was Haven, where FNATIC notably came back from a 10-1 deficit the last time these two teams faced.

Like Sunset, DRX made one agent swap by putting Flashback on Yoru instead of Neon. DRX led first with their newly equipped flashes, winning the first pistol and exploiting Chronicle's Viper wall on the C site to take a 5-0 lead. After a timeout at 4-0, FNATIC adapted, demonstrating strong B retakes and suffocating A Long traps to rally back to 6-6 at the half.

DRX won the second pistol but immediately lost the anti-eco, spurring FNATIC on to 10-7 and then 12-8. DRX managed to get the score back to 11, but a decisive C hit from FNATIC closed out Haven in regulation at 13-11.

kaajak and crashies stood apart from the rest statistically with 20 kills apiece, with many of those kills being critical first and midround picks. kaajak on Yoru collected six total first kills and ended with a server-high 1.40 rating.

The final map was Bind. In a manner reminiscent of Corrode, FNATIC once again utterly steamrolled their opponents on the attack side, converting the bonus and applying constant pressure on both extremities of the map. Even close rounds went their way, with Boaster winning a narrow 1v1 with his Operator at 6-1. The only two rounds that DRX were able to win in the half were both thanks to heroics from HYUNMIN, who found an ace in round 5 and some quick shots in round 12.

The final nail in the coffin was hammered in by Chronicle as the veteran found four impressive kills to get FNATIC to a 11-3 lead that turned into a quick 13-4 finish.

Chronicle and kaajak led together with 17 kills each on Bind, but it was crashies who had the performance of the day with 65 kills to only 39 deaths and a 1.22 rating over the course of the series.

DRX ends their season at third place internationally, remaining without a trophy but securing a remarkable achievement after qualifying to the event as Pacific's fourth seed. Meanwhile, FNATIC climb one step higher to their first-ever Champions grand final; the kings of EMEA will seek revenge against NRG tomorrow with the right to lift Valorant's most coveted trophy on the line.

“FNATIC always [comes back],” Chronicle said in the post-match interview on the team's recovery following their loss to NRG. “I hope NRG will not forget about it tomorrow.”

Boaster chimed in with a more passionate challenge for their final opponents: “NRG, we're coming for you, and we're going to be ready tomorrow…when you're in bed, having nightmares about us, you know we're gonna be ready.”