Bun
•
06 Apr 2025
ESL One Raleigh is set to kick off in just over a day, bringing together 12 of the world’s best Dota 2 teams to compete for a massive $1 million prize pool. As anticipation builds for the first premier LAN event of the spring, two top contenders—Team Falcons and Team Liquid—are already facing serious challenges before the tournament even begins.
Team Falcons, a squad that has recently made headlines with their meteoric rise and consistent results, will be entering Raleigh without their star midlaner, Malr1ne, who has run into visa complications. Stepping in as a last-minute stand-in is Quinn, the midlaner for Gaimin Gladiators.
Interestingly, Quinn’s own team failed to qualify for ESL Raleigh, falling short in the grueling Western Europe qualifiers after a heartbreaking loss to Avulus—a rising force in the region. Now, Quinn gets another shot at the international stage, albeit in different colors. His aggressive playstyle and experience on LAN could prove invaluable for Falcons, but the sudden swap may disrupt the team's usual synergy.
Team Liquid finds itself in a similar predicament. Star midlaner Nisha will also miss the tournament due to visa issues, leaving a big gap in the lineup. Filling in will be Bryle, the former midlaner for TSM, known for his flexible hero pool and solid laning phase.
Though Bryle has been away from the Tier 1 spotlight for a while, his individual skill and LAN experience may help steady the ship for Liquid. However, Nisha’s absence is undeniably a blow to a team that’s been aiming to recapture its former dominance.
These unexpected roster changes add an extra layer of unpredictability to an already stacked tournament. With $1 million on the line and several teams hungry to prove themselves, ESL One Raleigh is shaping up to be a chaotic, high-stakes battleground. Will the stand-ins rise to the occasion, or will these changes open the door for underdog teams to make deep runs?