Chronicle Unfazed by Boos, Illness as Fnatic Secures EWC VALORANT Final Berth
Fnatic’s Chronicle discusses beating Paper Rex and battling illness to reach the EWC VALORANT final, sending a message to fans and future opponents.
In a performance defined by resilience and resolve, Fnatic has punched its ticket to the EWC VALORANT final, overcoming rivals Paper Rex in a high-stakes rematch. The victory gives star player Timofey “Chronicle” Khromov another chance to end a two-year drought of global titles, a pursuit he is undertaking while battling illness and embracing a hostile crowd.
The win was particularly sweet for Fnatic, serving as swift retribution for a recent, painful loss to Paper Rex in the Masters Toronto final. For the team, the motivation was clear.
“As a team, we are obviously happy,” Chronicle confirmed in a post-match interview. “Everyone wanted to take revenge because everyone wanted to get a trophy in Toronto, and obviously it didn’t happen. So that was like a very good revenge.”
A Tale of Two Victories: Team Revenge, Personal Focus
While his teammates reveled in avenging their recent defeat, Chronicle, widely regarded as one of VALORANT’s all-time greats, approached the match with a different mentality. For him, the focus was less on the result and more on the challenge of facing the world’s top team.
“For me individually, I didn’t care, really,” he admitted. “I was coming to this match just with the feeling that I want to play the game against PRX. They’re well known to be, probably, the #1 best team in the game at the moment.”
His goal was simply to “beat them up, [but] also play pretty well, and just not care about the result.” This detached, process-oriented mindset highlights the veteran poise that has defined his career.
Battling More Than Opponents
Chronicle’s calm under pressure is even more impressive given his physical state. The player revealed he has been competing in the inaugural Esports World Cup tournament while under the weather.
“Pretty good. Except for my illness,” he said of his experience. “I feel not really well right now, for the past few days. But I’m not going to lie, it’s also fine. Somehow powering through, playing some good matches as well, which is obviously very nice to see.”
His ability to perform at an elite level despite feeling unwell underscores a deep competitive drive as he stands one series away from a major international trophy.
Eyeing the Grand Final: A Look at Gen.G and Team Heretics
Awaiting Fnatic in the grand final will be the winner of the semi-final between Gen.G and Team Heretics. Chronicle acknowledged that both potential opponents present a formidable challenge, noting their difficult paths to the tournament’s final stages.
“I think both teams will play pretty [well] against us because both of them build pretty good stories,” he analyzed. He pointed out that both squads had to fight through the group stage with 2-1 records, proving their resilience. “Obviously it might be very tough because both teams are really great.”
On Team Heretics’ Resurgence
Chronicle offered specific thoughts on Team Heretics, a fellow EMEA team that has bounced back from a disappointing run at Masters Toronto.
“I think they found some confidence,” he observed. While expressing happiness for their return to form, he issued a friendly warning: “Obviously if we’ll meet them in the grand finals, it might be not good that they found some confidence. So we’ll try to maybe break it.”
“You Better Not Be Booing”: Chronicle Embraces Hostile Crowd
Perhaps most telling was Chronicle’s reaction to the live audience. Rather than being intimidated by negative chants, he found a unique motivation in the pressure, relishing his first experience with audible booing that penetrated his headset.
“That was [a] nice feeling,” he said with a smile. “And it was also nice to prove people wrong.”
He concluded with a direct and confident message to the crowd, turning their boos into fuel for the championship match.
“Considering, again, how many boos I heard, you better not be booing against us in [the] grand finals.”
