London looks to host the BLAST Premier Spring Finals at the OVO Arena Wembley, a stadium known for its electric atmosphere and passionate fans. This is consistent with the London & Partners’ ambitions to grow London into an esports powerhouse.
The UK’s history and memorable moments will undoubtedly add to the intensity of the occasion, providing a fitting backdrop for this climactic battle. This event boasts formidable talent (Vitality, Faze, G2, Astralis, NAVI, SAW, Virtus Pro and Spirit), seven out of the eight qualified teams being in HLTV’s top ten.
All eyes will be on how G2 follow up their impressive win at IEM Dallas, with Rasmus “Hooxi” Nielsen returning to the team after a personal scheduling conflict. For G2, their star player – Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov – has found himself in a difficult situation with visa issues, but it appears he may be in the clear now.
HE’S BACK @Stewie pic.twitter.com/InP42SdaZb
— G2 CS (@G2CSGO) June 2, 2024
Upcoming matches (Wednesday 12th June):
Faze, after falling short against both Spirit and G2, are seeking redemption after missing out on the Grand Finals at the last event. Despite being the second-highest ranked team globally (behind Mouz, who failed to qualify), Faze has experienced difficulties recently failing the make the top four at ESL Pro League and IEM Dallas.
Group A (Faze, Astralis, NAVI, and SAW) could be considered the easier group, given NAVI’s recent dip in form and the inclusion of the lowest-ranked team, SAW (#24). FaZe will be looking to start with a decisive win against SAW in the opening match to dispel any worries about their recent form.
Since settling in with their new roster, Astralis have climbed up the rankings with some impressive wins against Faze, Eternal Fire and Heroic. Nicolai “device” Reedtz, now team IGL, returns to London as the last remaining member of the Astralis roster that last won the FACEIT Major hosted in London (FACEIT Major 2018). He would be looking to secure his second trophy inside Wembley, this time with the new generation of Astralis.
Group B comprising of G2, Vitality, Virtus Pro, and Spirit has the potential to deliver exceptional CS, with all teams possessing the ability to claim victory this weekend. Both G2 and Vitality showcased great Counter-Strike at IEM Dallas, whilst Virtus Pro and Spirit have also consistently challenged top teams throughout the year.
It will be interesting to see whether the home crowd will be behind Vitality if they make it on the Wembley stage.
Players to watch:
Danil “donk” Kryshkovets and Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut are often regarded as some of the best in the world. This event provides a unique opportunity to catch up to m0NESY, who recently won at IEM Dallas, as he is unable to compete.
At the start of the year donk put up a legendary performance at Katowice, claiming the trophy for Spirit, but the team was unable to continue this form as they finished 7th at the PGL Major in Copenhagen. The Russian prodigy is looking to finish his stunning year high up the rankings.
The French super-star ZywOo has solidified his career by winning the 2023 Paris Major and claiming the HLTV #1 award as well as the Player of the Year, Highlight of the Year and AWPer of the Year award at the end of 2023.
Hoping to win on home soil, William “mezii” Merriman is the sole UK player in the event. Vitality recently lost in the IEM Dallas final to G2 and will be looking for revenge against the team who now have a full squad. The Brit will be hoping to continue his good form from the American event and this time will have the home crowd behind him.
This article was jointly written by Kai England and Oskarscot.
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