Benjamin "blameF" Bremer surprised many by joining fnatic. After stepping down from the captaincy role at Astralis, blameF chose fnatic as the place where he can "prove that he's still good enough." Now, the team faces a new challenge — competing for a trophy at the RES Regional Champions 2024 LAN tournament in Belgrade.
A New Career Stage After Astralis
BlameF spent three months on the bench after leaving Astralis, failing to lead the team to the home PGL Major in Copenhagen. He said that stepping down from the captain role allowed him to focus on his own level of play: "It's easier to play when you're not the captain." Joining fnatic, he found himself in a setting quite different from the Danish team: fewer bootcamp meetings and challenges with English communication. Nevertheless, the organization left a positive impression on him.
fnatic's Challenges and New Roster with nawwk
Since blameF’s arrival, fnatic managed to win only one online tournament — RES European Series 6. Recent struggles in tournaments, including losses at the ESL Pro League, forced the team to make roster changes. Tim "nawwk" Jonasson joined the team, replacing afro. BlameF highlighted that despite good relations with afro, this switch was necessary: "We began performing poorly after the changes, but with nawwk, we have a chance to start afresh."
In an interview with HLTV, blameF admitted that despite current difficulties, he believes in the team's potential: "I expect us to reach the playoffs. We've had a period of unstable performances, but now we're ready to deliver a decent result." The RES tournament in Belgrade is seen as an important opportunity for fnatic to prove their competitiveness and return to the ranks of the strongest.
KRIMZ's Role and New Team Balance
BlameF also noted the key role of Freddy "KRIMZ" Johansson, who remains a crucial team element since 2016: "He consistently plays well and doesn’t require many resources, making him an indispensable player." KRIMZ continues to contribute, yielding positions for the team's success, which, according to blameF, makes him an ideal partner.
Can fnatic Return to the Top?
For fnatic, performing at the RES Regional Champions will be a test of their readiness to make a statement again at the highest level. BlameF himself is unafraid of challenges and is ready to show he can still perform at Tier-1 level: "If I'm not good enough, then so be it, but I intend to prove otherwise." With a practiced roster and renewed goals, fnatic aims to reclaim their status as a strong team capable of competing with the top contenders in global Counter-Strike.
Source: HLTV
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