Team Liquid overcome their kryptonite to defend PGL Wallachia title

Team Liquid ended an eight games losing streak against PARIVISION to become back-to-back PGL Wallachia champions.

We saw a similar story unfolding with Team Liquid not too long ago. It was in the 2023-2024 competitive season when Liquid couldn’t catch a break against Gaimin Gladiators. The two teams reached the grand finals of three consecutive Majors, with GG winning all of them. Gaimin also eliminated Liquid from The International 2023. A year later, The International 2024 grand finals pitted Liquid and Gaimin against each other once more time and brought one of the strongest redemption stories. Liquid lifted the Aegis of Champions at the end of a one sided series.

New season, new kryptonite

Both teams went through roster changes after TI13, but while GG are still trying to find their footing, Liquid found another kryptonite. Ahead of PGL Wallachia Season 4 grand finals, Liquid were sitting on eight straight losses to PARIVISION. Three of those came in the grand finals of ESL One Bangkok at the end of December 2024. PARIVISION had also eliminated them from BLAST Slam II in February of this year, and from ESL One Raleigh earlier this month.

At PGL Wallachia Season 4, PARIVISION was one of the two teams to land three consecutive victories in the Swiss group stage format and advance to the playoffs undefeated. Liquid had to play four rounds in the Swiss group and managed to dodge their Nemesis until the upper bracket finals, where PARIVISON handed them another defeat.

“Nobody beats Liquid ninety times in a row”

Team Liquid bounced back with a 2-0 over Tundra Esports in the lower bracket finals for a rematch with PARIVISION. They seemed to have a great finals day, which was close to ending with a full sweep if it wasn’t for Alan "Satanic" Gallyamov to put game 3 on his back and deliver another spectacular Templar Assassin deathless game. TA has become one of his strongest heroes without a doubt. He delivered a similar performance on the hero in Raleigh to win his first LAN trophy at just 17 years old.

PARIVISON’s prodigy carry went without a single death in game 4 as well, but on Nature’s Prophet, forcing a decisive game 5 from Liquid.

Game 5 was a 72-minute showdown. PARIVISION were able to secure a sizable mid-game gold lead and took two lanes of barracks from Liquid. However, the PGL Wallachia defending champions put all their faith in the late game scenario and played more of a four protect one strategy around Michał "Nisha" Jankowski's Timbersaw. Nisha went on dominating the game with his 22/2/14 K/D/A performance to become the series MVP and bring his team one of the most important victories this season.

Team Liquid’s main coach, Coach William "Blitz" Lee, who couldn’t be with the team at PGL Wallachia Season 4, took on X to express his happiness for finally overcoming PARIVISION. “Nobody beats Liquid ninety times in a row,” he posted.

In Blitz’s absence, Mathis "Jabbz" Friesel, the team’s assistant coach and analyst, played a pivotal role in Liquid’s success, and according to Aydin "Insania" Sarkohi this marked the first tournament where he also took the drafting responsibility.

“It’s always a team effort,” said Insania in the winner’s interview with PGL,” but the biggest standout is Jabbz. He hasn’t drafted in his life before, and he decided to draft this tournament and look at what he did!”

Team Liquid walks home with $300,000 for claiming the championship title, and along with PARIVISION, will return to action in just one week at BLAST Slam III, which is set to commence at the BLAST studios in Copenhagen, Denmark, on May 5.