Fnatic Bench Emypros and Hunt for Korean Toplaner, It’s Claimed
Fnatic has benched Greek toplaner Panagiotis ‘Empyros’ Tantis from its League of Legends European Championship (LEC) roster ahead of the Summer Split, according to reporting from Sheep Esports. The organization is actively searching for a replacement toplaner, reportedly looking toward Korea’s second-tier LCK Challengers League for candidates.
The benching comes after Fnatic’s elimination from the LEC Spring Playoffs qualification following a 2-1 series loss to Team Vitality. In that crucial final match, Empyros suffered a catastrophic performance, falling three levels and 3,000 gold behind Kaan ‘Naak Nako’ Okan within the first 15 minutes. The rookie’s collapse in that game appears to have sealed his fate with the organization.
This marks the end of Empyros’ first season at the top tier after just two splits with Fnatic. The organization’s decision to pursue Korean talent from the LCK Challengers League suggests they believe a significant upgrade at the toplaner position is necessary to improve their competitive standing in the LEC for the upcoming split.