ELEAGUE has announced their first tournament of the year with their CSGO Invitational. The four teams attending the event will be Cloud9, FaZe Clan, BIG Clan and Complexity.
The ELEAGUE CS:GO Invitational 2019 teams
More info: https://t.co/06yjo9yZSL
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Every team that is heading to the ELEAGUE CSGO Invitational is looking to bounce back after some lackluster performances. They will get a chance to get a very needed victory, as well as starting off the year right. Additionally, all four teams are also looking to get some on-stage experience with their new lineups. They are all sporting at least one new player coming into 2019, so a victory early into 2019 will be good for morale.
Cloud9 tries another roster
Last year’s Boston Major winners are now looking for a new lease on life for 2019. Cloud9’s past year was turbulent to say the least, especially for the roster. They would go through multiple stand-ins throughout the year, from Pujan “FNS” Mehta, Martin “STYKO” Styk and now Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro. Also, their new in-game leader Maikil “Golden” Selim has been dealing with health problems ever since November. They will need to find a way to make this lineup work without their in-game leader, while Zellsis tries to prove himself with some top-tier talent.
FaZe Clan moves forward without Karrigan
Meanwhile, European powerhouse FaZe Clan will be entering their first event without Finn “karrigan” Andersen and coach Robert “RobbaN” Dahlström. It is a retooling of sorts, after a relatively disappointing 2018. Now, they move on ahead with stand-in Dauren “AdreN” Kystaubayev from Gambit Gaming and head coach Janko “YNk” Paunović. In a sense, the whole lineup is looking for a bounce back year, as AdreN is coming from an abysmal showing with Gambit. Also, YNk’s first stint with MIBR wasn’t as impressive as he probably would have liked. The ELEAGUE Invitational should be a good test for the beginning of 2019.
BIG Clan looks for meaningful results
Ever since ESL One Cologne, BIG Clan has shot up the rankings and has been considered a top team for some time. Their showing at Cologne was impressive, boasting wins against Team Liquid, MIBR, G2 Esports and FaZe Clan. However, after that event, they couldn’t live up to the expectations of all their new-found fans. They suffered some early exits in a few events and gradually fell back to Earth. Now, they will have to adjust as Johannes “nex” Maget sits out due to wrist problems. His replacement, İsmailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş, is a capable replacement, but will BIG be able to build enough chemistry in time?
Complexity enters as underdog
Complexity Gaming is no stranger to being an underdog. In most of their events, people underestimate them as they may not have the crazy starpower that other teams do. Lately, however, they have been surprising some critics with their performances. For example, at the London Major, they would go 6-1 through the New Challengers and New Legends Stages. Recently, the team brought on Ricky “Rickeh” Mulholland and veteran Jordan “n0thing” Gilbert as a stand-in. Having the title of underdog is great, as they can play with no pressure. It could give them the edge against a team like Cloud9 or FaZe Clan, who are still trying to find their groove with their new players.
What are your thoughts on the ELEAGUE CSGO Invitational? Let us know what you think in the comments below! If you want more CSGO coverage, check us out here!
Published: Jan 10, 2019 03:51 pm