In November 2021, YouTuber Max “HandOfBlood” Knabe, also known as Hänno, announced his intention to establish the LoL team Eintracht Spandau in eSports. Since then, they have been mixing it up in the Strauss Prime League. But Hänno wanted more, announcing that he aimed to win the EU Masters within 2 years. Now, the playoffs have come to an end.
What’s the story with Eintracht Spandau?
- In his role as president, Knabe leads Eintracht like a football club – including press conferences and public viewings at the local bar
- The fans love it; they cheer for their team over Twitch and at public viewings
- But it’s not just about storytelling; the gameplay performance should match
- No later than in 2 years, they want to win the EU Masters, says Hänno
- After a rather mediocre summer split, Eintracht made a strong comeback, winning the big Berlin derby against BIG
- However, it ended in the playoffs against Schalke 04
In the video, we introduce you to the LoL team of HandOfBlood:
After a strong start, they couldn’t capitalize on the advantage
This is how the playoffs work: Up to 5 rounds are played, and whoever wins at least 3 of them wins. The match Eintracht Spandau vs. Schalke 04 was exciting until the end, although the Royals were able to win the best-of-five.
This is how the game went: Spandau got off to a strong start, securing the first game confidently. On Eintracht’s Twitch channel, where the matches are commented on by their in-house streamer Broeki in the “fan mile”, they appeared confident of victory:
They asked the chat whether they prefer to win 3:0 or 3:1. After all, the latter would offer more content.
But in the second game, the tables turned. Schalke picked up momentum, repeatedly winning in team fights. They equalized and eventually took the lead in game 3.
Eintracht played aggressively, confidently going into fights. They took many risks that didn’t always pay off. However, in the fourth round, Eintracht fought their way back into the game.
Even in the decisive fifth round, they managed to gain an early advantage. But S04 secured an early Baron buff and a gold advantage. In the end, they managed to prevail in the top lane. With the advantage in numbers, they ultimately claimed victory.
Why is this disappointing? Especially bitter is the exit in the playoffs, especially after having already reached the Masters in spring, even if only to the group stage. They would have certainly liked to build on that strong first season with another entry.
An additional disappointment for fans is that there will now be no derby against BIG in the playoffs. Instead, they will compete against S04 on 09.08. Some fans might even come up with the idea to cheer for the Berlin rivals this time. (via Twitter)
Eintracht shows fighting spirit
This is how they react: On the official Twitter account of Eintracht Spandau, there is a hangover mood the day after the lost match.
But they remain optimistic: Despite everything, the split was really great, and they fought until the end. They thank their fans for the support and ask them to show a lot of love to the players, as they gave their all. (via Twitter)
The fighting statement: “That was just the beginning” (via Twitter).
Did you wish for a victory for Hänno and his Eintracht, or was the defeat against Schalke 04 deserved? Will you follow the European Masters even without Eintracht?
Playoffs for qualification for the EU Masters are also currently taking place in France. Favorite Karmine Corp was recently eliminated after a mixed season – despite having a legendary player on the roster.
