In T1’s recent victory against Nongshim RedForce, if we had to pick the standout player across all 3 games on T1’s side, many would immediately think of Faker. Besides two exceptional games with the champion Hwei, Faker also had a much more stable game using Karma compared to the performances of his younger teammates. Of course, the POG point for Faker after the match is understandable and helps the “Demon King” maintain his lead in the POG points list among players in this year’s LCK Spring Split.
However, during the match, even if it was just a fleeting moment, an action by Faker was captured by the audience. Specifically, while preparing for the game, Faker gently massaged his arm. This genuinely worried many, especially T1 fans. Because this indicates that Faker’s injury has not fully healed yet. And perhaps in long or high-pressure matches, he will feel pain due to his arm needing to be in constant motion.
As we all know, Faker suffered a serious injury during the second half of the LCK Summer 2023 season. The matches Faker missed saw T1 fall dramatically. No longer the extremely confident powerhouse team, T1 at that time could even lose to weaker teams like Fredit BRION or DRX. The only victory for T1 at that time was also against Nongshim RedForce, but thanks to an outstanding performance from Gumayusi. There was even concern that T1 would not be able to secure a playoff spot in the LCK Summer 2023.
However, after the intense 2023 World Championship, T1’s players had to dive into a packed “show-running” schedule since they are the reigning World Champions. During their time in Germany, Faker also performed hand massages, causing many fans to fear that his injury would recur before the new season.
Currently, T1 is soaring high on the leaderboard with a streak of victories. Theoretically, they only need to win a few more matches to secure a playoff spot in the LCK Spring 2024. But T1’s journey is still long, and surely no one wants Faker to “drop off” during the crucial stages.