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Fnatic was pushed down to the Lower Bracket after losing the series to FunPlus Phoenix with a 2-0 scoreline in the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) 2022 EMEA Stage 1 Challengers 1 Playoffs.
Fnatic has been one of the top teams in the tournament since the Group Stage. The team made it to the Valorant Champions Tour 2022 EMEA Stage 1 Masters Reykjavik, which will take place in April this year. However, its loss against FunPlus Pheonix brought it to the Lower Bracket, reducing its chances of getting the first seed.
After its match against FunPlus Phoenix, Fnatic's Valorant player, Martin "Magnum" Peňkov spoke to Sportskeeda Esports' Pratiti Dhang about the match and the team's goals for the Valorant Champions Tour 2022 Masters Reykjavik LAN tournament.
Fnatic's Magnum after their loss against FunPlus Phoenix and the objectives for Valorant Champions Tour 2022 Stage 1 Masters Reykjavik
Q: It was a tough match against FunPlus Phoenix. Fnatic lost the series to them in a 2-0 scoreline. What went wrong according to you?
FNC Magnum: I think basically what happened today, I think it was around Split. Like we have in many rounds but certainly, we are kind of all at the same time out of the rounds.
Like there were a lot of close rounds but we just couldn't convert any of those and it just chain reacted. We lost that map and then Haven. I think we were pretty close on Haven as well. But obviously from the loss, and I think with the update, we are a bit behind on that map. It was very big so we didn't figure it out and it was mainly because the mood was a bit off today.
Q: In the first map, Split, Fnatic couldn’t pull off a single round which led the scores to end up at 0-13 on Split. What resisted the team from winning a single round in that map against FunPlus Phoenix?
FNC Magnum: Basically, like most of the rounds, there are like six rounds that we could have converted, came in like two. We just couldn't do that.
Then there comes an economy problem in the game. It just doesn't allow you to buy proper guns and its chain reaction. In defense, we lost pistols and that was like the only round. Also, we started on the attack on the Split after the changes. It is not that strong but I think it's just the proper round that I wanted to convert.
Q: All right, so Fnatic has another chance to make it to the Valorant Champions Tour 2022 EMEA Stage 1 Challengers 1 Playoffs Finals in the Lower Bracket, where you will face Fnatic. How confident are you in getting the first seed?
FNC Magnum: Yes, definitely. I figured it was just an off day. I mean, we are a bit off today. Obviously FunPlus Phoenix is a great team but I think we can beat them. Anything can happen, and they are a good team. But I'm so confident that we're going to come back and get the first seed.
Q: Despite today's loss, Fnatic has already secured a spot in Valorant Champions Tour 2022 Masters Reykjavik. What are some of the goals that you and the team have set for the first Valorant LAN tournament of this year?
FNC Magnum: For us, it's a big win that we qualified, but we want to get that first seed. Obviously, I think that its all expectations to not come in second. So even if we finish second, we want to improve from the last resolve. We definitely want to win this year.
