Sources: Czekolad set to join Barça Esports

According to sources close to Sheep Esports, midlaner Paweł "Czekolad" Szczepanik has reportedly reached a verbal agreement with Barça eSports and will be joining the LVP Superliga next season. He is the club's fourth recruit, following recent reports from Sheep Esports that Matti "WhiteKnight" Sormunen, Francisco "Thayger" Mazo, and Sergio "Legolas" Vicente Gispert have all re-signed.

BAR have just signed one of the most experienced midlaners available in the European Regional Leagues (ERL), marking a return to Spain for the Polish veteran, Czekolad. His early career included stints in Poland's competitive scene before joining Spain's LVP in the Summer of 2018 with eMonkeyz and in the Summer of 2019 with MAD Lions. However, it was his return to Ultraliga in Poland with AGO Rogue in 2020 that truly launched his success. Playing alongside notable teammates like Mathias "Szygenda" Jensen, Czekolad had his best year in 2020, clinching the Ultraliga Spring title, taking second in the Summer, and winning the EMEA Masters Summer 2020 championship—his career-defining achievement to date.

This exceptional performance secured him a spot in the LEC with Excel Esports for the Spring 2021 split. However, the results didn’t meet expectations, and the team finished in 8th place. After being replaced, Czekolad returned to ERLs with MOUZ in the Prime League, finishing third in the Summer of 2021. He then joined France’s LFL, competing with GameWard in 2022 and BK ROG in 2023, remaining in the league for three years. His extensive ERL experience, now culminating in his return to the Spanish league with BAR, brings invaluable depth and skill to the roster as they aim to rise to new heights.

Czekolad's last year was challenging, finishing fifth twice in the LFL despite strong individual performances from the team. Their inconsistency held them back in the standings. Rated by Sheep Stats as the fourth-best midlaner in the league with a score of 66/100, Czekolad has not excelled in any single category. Returning to the LVP may represent a fresh start and a chance to reignite momentum in one of the leagues where his career began.

Czekolad has become the fourth recruit for Barça Esports, bringing extensive experience to the midlane. This addition follows Sheep Esports’ announcement that WhiteKnight, Thayger, and Legolas will re-sign with the team next season. The team is retaining its core roster and will benefit from the expertise of one of the LFL's top midlaners. Barça eSports have clear goals: to secure their first Spanish title after falling short in the Summer Split finals and to make a strong showing at the upcoming Spring EMEA Masters. They aim to surpass their last run, which ended in the Round of 16 against the finalist team, Vitality.Bee.