Who will rise and fall next weekend?
Our predictions for the LEC Playoffs, Round 1
Next week, the six best teams of the LEC will take to the Rift in the first round of playoff games and we will have the first team eliminated from Worlds contention. Read on to see what our predictions for the playoff games are.
The LEC playoffs will begin next week and see the top 6 European teams fight for the title and the Worlds spots. With Europe getting four seeds this Worlds, it seems like a relatively easy achievement, but as we know the LEC playoffs have often surprised us. Perhaps they will do so again, but we’re going to throw our hats in the ring and give our predictions for the first round.
Match One: MAD Lions vs Rogue
A few weeks back, Rogue and MAD Lions were the best teams in the LEC, but both teams ended up slumping in the final weeks of the season. While ultimately they ended up as second and third in the regular season, that is not the level they showed in the last three weeks. Going by their full potential, MAD Lions would take the edge for us, but there is a big question in just how much the two teams can get back in shape and how well they adapt to the meta in the series.
The level of the players is relatively similar, but their styles are different - historically, MAD have excelled at controlling the map while Rogue have relied on very good laning to push them through. In theory, this would put MAD as the likely winner because of how their style works into Rogue’s. However, the teams’ momentary shape would play a huge part. MAD seems to have a more fitting mid laner, but in the top lane İrfan Berk "Armut" Tükek has been very hit and miss, while Rogue’s carries seem better fitted to the carry meta at the moment. Even with Yasin "Nisqy" Dinçer's amazing season, this would be a hard series to call - I would put in a tentative 3-2 for MAD Lions.
Match Two: G2 Esports vs Misfits Gaming
G2 Esports and Misfits Gaming both looked strong in the last few part of the season, but while Misfits won over the fans with amazing comeback games, G2 was a juggernaut that plowed through the teams they faced. While this would make for an interesting showdown in theory, in a best of five series, the advantage is all G2’s.
Like in the spring, Misfits’ game plan is all too often reliant on their mid laner Vincent "Vetheo" Berrié to carry them, and while Vetheo can be amazing when he is on the zone and the team plays around it, in a best of five it’s unlikely that Misfits are going to get the draft to do that three times in a row. The fact that G2 seems to be in good shape in all lanes doesn’t help either - it’s hard to expect your mid laner to consistently outplay Rasmus "caPs" Winther, and when G2 are on form - and they seem to be - their jungle/mid coordination is far ahead of Misfits’. In this match, it’s hard to expect anything else than a 3-0 for G2 Esports.
Match Three: Fnatic vs Excel Esports
Fnatic’s acquisition of star top and mid laners for this year led many to consider them one of the best teams in Europe, while Excel’s map play in the first part of the summer split showed them to be one of the best tactical teams in Europe. And yet, before the last week of the summer split, there was a good chance neither of these teams could make it, never mind both.
So with both teams having some great moments and some serious downfalls, who is favored here? Fnatic overall the better players, except possibly in the jungle, and as last week showed their players can be clutch when it matters. Excel will have to negate that with good teamfighting and map movement. This is another game that is very reliant on the teams’ momentary form and mental state. I expect a 3-1 for Fnatic.
Read More about the LEC Playoffs
- The Biggest Disappointments of Summer 2022
- Our LEC MVP for Week 8: Fnatic's Upset
- LEC Summer Playoffs 2022: Date, Schedule, Teams & Live-Stream
What are your predictions for the first playoff round? Do you agree with our views? Let us know at our Facebook page!