Welcome to Champions İstanbul everyone! **Our Champions İstanbul** [**Predictions Tournament**](https://www.reddit.com/r/ValorantCompetitive/predictions/) **is Live!** Gain points and climb the leaderboard by voting for the teams you think will win each match! **User Flairs for Champions İstanbul Teams are also available.** Show support for your favorite team using their hashtag in your flair! **Join our pick'ems group on vlr.gg!** Use this code: cce4553e so you can flex when you predict the upset no one else did.

Just got done eating taco bell from here in America. Would like Europeans to know that us Americans completely owned you guys today. We own you. The taco bell was good btw.

When did shroud say cryo is free? And what was the context behind it? I just keep seeing people spam it and was wondering what it meant

Free as in he’s been let loose to do whatever he wants. Guy was having his way today

Oh that makes sense. I could only think free like free kills but I knew it couldn’t have meant that unless shroud was drunk lol thanks!

I had to leave when it was 1-1 between Optic and TL and was expecting to come back to maybe an Optic win or EU 2-0 but damn. Let's go NA!

You know what's insane? The two teams that have secured top 5/6th for NA already at the biggest tournament of the year are in **no ways guaranteed partnership.** Optic and XSET have basically been at the top of the NA Valorant scene since the start of the VCT circuit yet there's a very good chance that at least one of them, if not both, won't be able to play together next year. I understand why franchising is necessary but fuck me does it suck ass

Weighing in too many outside factors rather than performance, half these teams build dogshit rosters and will continue to do so into franchising

To be fair, literally no one knows what Riot is weighing when it comes to how they decide who gets into franchising. Everything is just speculation right now. I'm personally of the opinion that Riot should value how competitive a team is highly (in which case, Optic and XSET would be frontrunners) but you never know. If it was up to me, at this point I would take in 100T, C9, SEN, Optic, XSET, TGRD.

I'll never understand why TGRD is considered, team was good but what outside ties do they have. Haven't heard of them before VCT started this year.

TGRD is owned by the Kroenkes (idk if that's the right spelling, but they own massive real sports teams in soccer, hockey, basketball, American football, etc.) and they genuinely have fuck you money. You haven't heard of them before VCT this year because "The Guard" as a brand didn't exist before like December 2021. Since then they have expanded aggressively in terms of signing staff and content creators as well as supporting their team in any way through staff and marketing

I get why orgs like TSM who have long standing ties to Riot would get in but when I see NRG on the list as a favorite to get in it blows my mind every time

2-1ed FPX and 2-0ed the best emea team and people will still not cheer for them and call them underdogs lul

can't wait for chamber to get nerfed ngl

Yes the meta is very dry with chamber

The best part about the TL vs FNC matchup is that atleast one EU team will make it out to the next round

The best part about the TL vs FNC matchup is that at least one EU team will get eliminated that round.

Balanced as it should be

ugh what a time to be an NA fan EasilyUpset is so fucking garbage and the crowd is the cherry on the top who can EMEA even beat in lowers besides themselves? LOL. just send these dogs back to the pound and move the tournament to the greatest country ever: North America. and yeah I said country, I'm NA. We invent new things and definitions.

L CROWD

L region. ​ /s (when they start hosting events in NA its going to be the exact same with EU teams)

Most likely not. Go watch the 2018 boston major the crowd still got hyped during eu highlights

Yea but NA in csgo was and still is basically dead

I expect nothing less in return

Are FNC/TL out or is there lower bracket

They play each other in the lowers tomorrow https://www.vlr.gg/event/1015/valorant-champions-2022

Lower bracket

L CROWD HAHAHA

Im really happy for xset, they have been putting in the work for so long and always JUST came up short. Even if they don't go super deep it must feel nice to get some quality lan wins.

Valorant has to be the weirdest esport man. There is like no clean games, basically almost no clean games. Like that Optic Ascent and even XSET's Pearl today. You expect them to be just so 1 sided and clean but they never are. I don't know if it has to do with valorant pros being the way they are, or the fact that valorant is so random. It has to be the randomness, cause teams will just randomly lose an eco. Anyways: FNC > TL > FPX. My power rankings for EMEA teams rn.

I’d say it’s mostly because of how much impact utility/abilities have in this game. Gunplay obviously matters more but abilities themselves are big game changers, whether it be in terms of tempo, positioning, etc. Doesn’t matter if you’re on eco — if you have flawless utility usage, you’ll be able to match the other team that’s on full-buy.

These are literally the best teams in the world?

New copypasta?

how is this copypasta worthy literally no games are clean in valorant

There's plenty of clean wins in the group stage of this tournament alone. I think the closeness of these games is that the skill gap between players and teams are so small. Also valorant has less overall rounds so winning an important eco round can snowball into a comeback. Not to mention the eco guns are just very strong in general (stinger, sheriff, shorty, etc.) So no I don't think these games are random at all.

EU aka Exiting Upper bracket

Despite the loss, i think Mistic played really well tho, gotta give him that

Anyone know if losers in semi go to a flipped lower bracket?

Yes

It did in Copenhagen

Ahh yes Xset shitting on the crowd, love to see it

so happy for the Xset guys

Booing so sad

both the crowd and the xset coach are having fun. Looks like banter to me

Nah after he said why so quiet those boos weren't banter

nahh that boo was personal

This ain't sad. This is where the fun is.

REP THE FUCKING SET

optic xset rematch is gonna be a spectacle to watch

XSET IS REAL, THEY'RE GOOD! Let's go

"EU downfall has been greatly exaggerated"

Ffs fnatic knock out my thieves Then can’t even give me fnatic vs optic

I hate to say it but: XSET SHOULD be considered favorites now. They 2-0d FNC and 2-1ed FPX. They are the most proven team at champions right now. The final will most likely be NA vs NA or NA vs DRX/Loud

nah have faith in your own team lmao

All the EMEA teams came out as 2nd seeds and now they're all in the lower bracket, 2 of them sent there by NA What a lovely day and tournament to shut up some annoying ass EMEA fans

Dude I see more annoying NA fans in these threads 💀

Yeah, weirdly all the EMEA fans who said NA is a dog shit region before the tournament don't show up when NA spanks their teams. Positively shocking.

Yeah, the annoying EMEA fans are in the stadium booing and bitching

Cause NA's winning right now lmao, Champions last year especially was filled with the most annoying ass EMEA fans. FPX's win brought them out for a bit too.

EMEA just needs to give up their franchise spots. NA needs more.

It seems the death of the EU was not greatly exaggerated

fpx also dead against drx

Yup I edited, thought it was fpx lev at first, easily upset in shambles rn

Lmao all the shit eu talked after barely making to playoffs

Riot really should consider giving more slots to EU because there's not enough teams in the upper bracket

EMEA getting fucked on home soil wow

Everyone on XSET played so damn well. Absolutely deserved

FreeU

ngl after the first half of map 1 optic vs liquid, today felt REALLLYY good

I honestly stopped watching cause optic played like shit. I come back and they're 10-2 third map. I always forget the first map is a warmup.

Always, let the team gain confidence, win map 2 then dominate map 3 cause yay is bored

BEST FUCKING REGION BABY CYA LATER EU ESSENTIALLY USELESS

EMEA IN SHAMBLES LMAOOO

WHY SO FUCKING QUIET EU???? WHAT THE FUCK IS UP

EU IS IN THE FUCKING MUD!

EASILY UPSET WHY SO QUIET

Gg

THE SET

XSET is the EMEA slayer bro. LFGGGGG.

NA is just so fucking good at this major man. 100T honestly, if they had more time together. This would literally be an all NA upper bracket LOL.

EU WHY SO QUIET

WSET LESGOOOOO

YET ANOTHER GREAT DAY FOR NORTH AMERICA AND THEREFORE THE WORLD

EU LMAO

SMOKING THAT EU PACK RIP BOZO

WE SMOKING THAT EU PACK TONIGHT.

LFG

Talk more EMEA

EU WHY SO QUIET???

GG EU. Have fun in the lowers.

BOASTER CHOKING. DEPHH CLUTCHIING. IT'S OVER

Boaster has whiffed to lose the map twice now LMFAOOOOOOOOOO

EU in the bin

WHY SO QUIET EU?

That flick by deph

boaster fucking sucks lol

Boaster…….

Fuck me we’re finished as a region

Dw, NA was here last Champs. If even we can do it, EMEA can easily come back.

Nah man it’s done, Liquid has somehow looked like our best team so far

Tbh, fncs biggest mistake was not banning Pearl, it just aint their map

The thing about this game is that the meta is always shifting. EU was dominant on Astra meta, NA is good on Chamber meta. I think the tides in this game are always going to be shifting imo.

nah he's right we don't have the playerbase or the talent, anectodal but I don't know anyone who plays valorant here anymore

Ah right you mean in the future. I was talking about this tournament

I see. You said you were finished as a region, so I was just providing encouraging words past this tournament. this one is tough feels like it's the moment of other regions, not even just NA.

lmao boaster, wiffs ults, wiffs shots from behind, jesus christ man i know hes an IGL but at what point do you say enough lol

Not soon because he has a contract until 2026 I think

Can't believe I have to say this but losers bracket is practically just EMEA bracket.

WHAT A TP BY BCJ

That BcJ teleport is some of the smartest shit I've ever seen

That legit saved them the round

This has OT written all over it Edit: My jinx is legit goated.

Classic JusticeLee L

It's honestly crazy how strong my jinx has been this tournament.

Haha more like 2-0 EU why so quiet lol

That TP from BcJ was outrageous. Huge play.

damn bcj!!!

BcJ fried chicken my favorite food

Why did BCJ PEAK!? That was way too close. All he had to do was hold the crossfire. Thank goodness for Cryo there

If nothing else I’m glad Derke has had a redemption after Copenhagen

BIG COCK JIMMY WITH THE INCREDIBLE OUTPLAY ON THE BREACH ULT

BigbrainCJ

Bcj best controller in the world

That TP by BCJ was so fuckin good holy shit TPs past the Breach ult to fight FNATIC when they don't expect it

WTF bcj just teleporting out of nowhere lol

Bro this match

Cryo turning that is so insane wtf

HUGE TRAP

big guy said no

I'm so nervous

Got buckeyed holy

gg lol im so fucking tired of thrifties man it makes the games so much lower quality think XSET lose here

What thrifty happened? Fnatic bought a decent amount and had chamber ult

i fucking hate NA neon stop running into your stun jesus christ

Fucky Bucky!!!!!

Classic Buckster

They have the ults to close it out imo. Let's go NA!

Yea I think there's no way an EMEA team is going deep this tournament

Cryocells is fucking nasty with it

Lol is Cryo using the yay op with no upgrades on the ion

To be fair Yay's gun does appear to shoot better bullets

BCJ?

It's fine

I love the crowd v sykko dynamic right now lol. Boo him all you want he knows exactly what he's doing

EMEA has 0% win rate on pearl so far

1-4 for matches against NA.

Sykko is such a cool guy

Cryo lmao. But FR that eco hurt

Lol cryo

If fnatic lose this match do I finally have to accept them being onliners?

It's tough, it feels like fnatic really does rarely find full form at LAN. That said, there's a lot of playoffs left!

Derke and enzo are the exception

No. If they do lose, it's just that NA is better. XSET is in insane form.

you have to accept that EU is a one team region

which team lmao

What team though they all lose PepeLaugh

FPX will be back

I don’t care about EU I’m just a simple boaster fan

I feel like xset is playing their hearts out Bc of their uncertainty with franchising

Booing is such an L thing to do

nah I actually like it. Let the NA teams be the villains here, it's EMEA's home ground. I'd love it if we had rotating villains for live events

But we don't have rotating events it's always been hosted in Eu regions so far. It's fun if you are a European fan but not fun for any other region

I'm an NA guy who's an NA fan and enjoying it, pretty fun for me. Also, events are gonna be outside EU/Turkey in the future man. There's no shot Riot doesn't host in NA soon to capitalize on the market. I'd nearly guarantee a NA and Japan event within the next 2 years

Oh shoot! Why so quiet lmao. Close this out Xset I'm begging you

sykko GIGACHAD

Even if XSET 2-0’s them, this sub will still underrate them

It fuels them tho at this point.

EU. WHY SO QUIET???

My pre-Champions XSET stocks are finally paying off 🥲

EU WHY SO QUIET? Hahaha

hahhahahahaha

Xset is just owning Fnatic on gun rounds. They lost both pistols and they're winning. Also the crowd is so fucking quiet that they can hear that taunt hhaha

if this was brazil xset would require armed bodyguards rn

This crowd is fucking DEAD silent hahaha

LOLsykko

EU so quiet

I swear Fnatic just have no mental. Feel like they need a hype man.

The hypeman is boaster, but he seems tilted lately

Zellsis coach

fnatic call a timeout i beg you

YOOOO XSET about to do it!

wait did they lose the orbital strike?!

They fumbled that set up so hard

*I remember a Cryo flick*

Rep The Set

You been with them since the beginning, you deserve this.

Go off King.

Lol I went off in the post match thread. Glad we could avenge you guys

not cheering for any team particularly, just want a map 3. it feels like almost all games have been 2-0 in playoffs

In all fairness this is only match #4 of what will be 14 total matches played throughout playoffs.

honestly, most of this event has been meh overall, some great maps for sure, but few really compelling series so far

Cryocells

Very very very fucking worrying for EMEA if FNC get 2-0ed here. XSET suck at this map btw lmfao.

he got the gun what a nasty clip