fast$exygreat

Roster: PuTze, riveN, kengzta, Tobe, Grimreaper, unreal

If we were looking for a winner for the dumbest team name, then we would already have a winner. But joking aside, last year's champion, Putze, has once again managed to assemble a formidable team. With riveN and Tobe, he even has two champions from the first season on board. Joining them are kengzta, Grimreaper, and unreal. Personally, for me, it's the strongest and most balanced team in the group. Depending on the map, they can adjust their lineup as needed, either starting defensively with PuTZe and Tobe and attacking with riveN, kengzta, and Grimreaper, or letting unreal defend with Tobe and creating an overwhelming force on the offensive. Regardless of who starts for them, they will be the team to beat. They enter this tournament as clear favorites.

With their immense fragging power combined with their strong flag carriers, it will be incredibly difficult to stop them. They have the right lineup for every map, and with kengzta, Tobe, and Grimreaper, they even have three players who rank among the strongest in their "tier." Particularly on Overflow, Rune, and Rankin, it will be incredibly tough to defeat them.

They will likely march almost undefeated as group winners through the group stage and live up to their role as favorites.

Meme United

Roster: Dewsick, Serenity, Damien, miSa, bat, Promises

If one were to solely look at the names of the players, then the trophy should be handed directly to the team of Meme United. With Dewsick, Serenity, Damien, and miSa, they have four absolute legends among their ranks. Joining them are bat and Promises, two Turkish-Dutch players who have already caused a stir with LG. At first glance, one might think they will easily make it through the group, but their true strength is hard to gauge. With Damien and miSa, they have two incredibly talented players on the team who have been inactive for months. If both manage to regain their previous form, then reaching the playoffs will be effortless. However, if they fail to do so in time, it will be a tough battle for places 2-4. Furthermore, the question arises as to who will defend alongside Serenity. Both Damien and miSa have the quality for it, but they are mostly active as mid/cover players, and Dewsick should not sacrifice his strength for the defense. It remains to be seen what strategy they will adopt in the games.

No One

Roster: fonzie, MaDTeTa, Audio, stongz, wdn, FraCTaL

Rumors have it that wdn will miss the first game as he's diligently studying for his Portuguese final exam. One can't help but feel sorry for the poor guy, as he's representing Team Portugal for the second time in a row. As always, "The Godfather of Portugal" fonzie has managed to pick his boys, who have been playing together for several years. So far, the big triumph has eluded them, and this year it will also be challenging to survive the group stage. Although fonzie was able to make some strong picks compared to last year and significantly strengthen his team from the previous season, I find the team too heavily focused on offense. Only MaDTeTa is a classic defender, while all others excel more in flag running or mid/cover positions. I strongly believe that either fonzie himself or stongz will take up the second defending position. But then the question remains: who do I bench? Audio and FraCTaL are similar types of players, and wdn is probably the best flag runner in the entire community. It's a tough decision, thankfully not one I have to make. I would hope for the team to prevail in this group, but I have little hope as, in my opinion, the other teams have a better balance between offense and defense. They may frequently win their map picks but will likely come up short in the decider.

.exe

Roster: Skarn, Fen1x, vincenzo, dB, Naru, apokalips

And here we have our second team, with little to no surprise. Skarn has once again managed to pick his longtime clanmates. With Fen1x, Naru, and dB, he has three players with whom he shares an understanding like no other. Additionally, there's apokalips and the prodigal son vincenzo, who surprisingly got the nod over RT. If he returns to his old form, then the team is definitely a title contender. With apokalips, Skarn now has the flexibility to attack on certain maps like Grudge. Moreover, Fen1x has evolved into an absolute top defender. If Naru and dB also perform at their usual potential, then reaching the playoffs becomes a must-do task.

What Else

Roster: Finalz, JeRoMe, Ev0luti0n, mys, i-spyz, xTreme

And last but not least, we come to Team WhatElse. Finalz and JeRoMe have actually managed to pick each other once again. Additionally, Ev0luti0n and mys are back in the mix. Joining them are the two Brits xTreme and i-spyz, the latter playing his first Invitation Cup after working his way up for over two months. Overall, a very solid team. The key will be whether Finalz decides to defend or takes on the mid role to support JeRoMe. We'll probably see both variations depending on the map. I'm still not sure if it would have more advantages or disadvantages if Finalz doesn't defend. Ev0luti0n is actually a strong defender but often struggles with inconsistency, and mys fulfilled the mid role well last year. I would be glad if JeRoMe receives more support in flag running from i-spyz. It remains to be seen if they'll make it to the playoffs. As of now, I see three other teams a little stronger.

Prediction: 1. FSG 2. m* 3. Team Skarn 4. What Else 5. No One

MVP: Dewsick MIP: Tobe Biggest surprise: i-spyz Best Attacker: JeRoMe Best Defender: Serenity Biggest disappoinment: xTreme