Fnatic has secured a spot in the top three at the VALORANT Champions in Paris after executing an astonishing comeback against Paper Rex. While the entire squad displayed exceptional performance, their success was significantly attributed to a dependable stand-in who, despite being sleep-deprived, rose to the occasion when it mattered most.
Domagoj «Doma» Fancev from Enterprise Esports received a late-night call on September 27, inviting him to step in for Emir «Alfajer» Beder, one of Fnatic’s leading VALORANT players, who was unwell due to undisclosed reasons.
«I was just relaxing in bed,» Doma recounted during a post-match conversation, reflecting on the moment he was contacted by Fnatic. «I checked for flights and found one at 9 AM. After getting approval from my organization, I arrived in Paris at 11 AM after waking up at 5.»
In a post on X, Doma disclosed that he had only four hours of sleep and went straight from the airport to the venue. He expressed his wishes for Alfajer’s swift recovery and extended his gratitude to Alex, the Head Coach of Enterprise, and Cojo, Fnatic’s Team Director, for making his participation possible.
Despite the last-minute arrangements, Doma delivered a performance that matched the rest of Fnatic’s lineup. He achieved several multi-kill rounds and provided excellent support using Tejo and Killjoy throughout their matchup against PRX.
The Croatian player’s use of Killjoy utilities was pivotal in securing multiple rounds for Fnatic, particularly on Haven, which was crucial for tying the series, and on the decisive map Lotus, where Fnatic surged back from a 1-9 deficit to win 12 consecutive rounds as defenders, completing a 2-1 series comeback. At no point did Doma appear unprepared or disconnected from the team.
Fnatic demonstrated confidence in Doma’s abilities by announcing his involvement right before the match. «Given his skills, previous experience with Fnatic, and good rapport with the team, we believe we can still mount a strong challenge in today’s match,» their post on X indicated.
It’s worth noting that prior to his time with Enterprise and some other engagements, Doma was a part of Fnatic’s 2021 lineup that finished second at the Masters in Reykjavík. He was also brought in as a temporary substitute during the EMEA Stage Two and Champions when Leo moved to inactive status following the VCT Masters Shanghai in 2024.
Looking ahead, Fnatic will be up against NRG in the upper bracket final on October 3 for a chance to compete in the grand final of the VALORANT Champions in Paris. With five days until the match, Alfajer is expected to be fully recovered. Doma’s appearance is likely to be limited to this single series.
Nonetheless, fans will remember that it was Doma, stepping in as an emergency substitute, who helped Fnatic achieve this remarkable comeback against the prominent APAC team in one of the year’s most celebrated global events.
