MAD Lions vs Schalke 04
Some may not like and other may not agree with it, but MAD Lions are currently looking like the best European team and from the looks of it this young squad is set to secure their Worlds ticket by the end of the split. The development of this team was rather rapid and while they still have a lot more to prove for us to consider them above Fnatic and G2, the form they have shown so far is just phenomenal.
MAD Lions are not a perfect team, however, as they still make mistakes, but if we compare them to Schalke 04, they’re a level or two above them – not only due to the individual quality difference, but a much stronger sense of how to approach games. Schalke have a laughably poor objective control and their passive playstyle just won’t cut it against the hungry MAD Lions.
LEC had a couple of games that were complete fiestas, but this one seems pretty straightforward. MAD Lions will have no issues winning here and while Schalke will likely put up some resistance, we can’t see how they will manage to keep this one close.
Prediction: MAD Lions – 8.5 kills – 1.917 – Best Bet
Fnatic vs SK Gaming
It would be fair to say Fnatic are not in a good spot right now, but if there is one thing we can say for sure about this team is that they always find a way to make it to the playoffs and this season will not be any different. Their next opponents are the high-flying SK Gaming who have had their flashes of greatness, as well as a couple of iffy moments.
Much of SK Gaming’s success comes from their mid laner Zazee and ADC Crownshot, who are both making a name for themselves, but when those two struggle to deliver, SK tend to fall flat. Unfortunately, they will be facing Rekkles and Nemesis, who are both superior players in their respective roles. In the worst-case scenario and the mid and bot go even, Fnatic still have Selfmade in the jungle and Bwipo in the top lane, who are without a doubt much stronger than Jenax and Trick.
Betting on this match is still a bit tricky, considering SK still can still shock come out ahead, that is if Fnatic underperform (again) and if SK manage to get their carries ahead. Either way, this won’t be a straightforward match. SK looked a bit iffy against Vitality last week, but they are still a capable team that should at least give Fnatic a run for their money.
Prediction: SK Gaming over 7.5 kills – 1.862
Rogue vs OG
It may not be the official match of the week, but perhaps it should be. Rogue looked exceptional so far this split and while they lost to MAD Lions last week that does not take away from the fact that Rogue are without a single doubt one of the most interesting European LoL teams to watch season. Last week they completely decimated Fnatic, and while Fnatic are not in the best shape as of now, wining in a way Rogue did takes a lot of talent.
This is a well-coached and well-disciplined team that just might make a deep run in the playoffs and even contest a top-four finish. Their biggest obstacle, however, are Origen, who will enter this match just as hungry for a win as Rogue.
As much as I value Origen and their incredibly talented roster, I just don’t believe they are as solid as Rogue. Individually? Maybe, but when it comes to playing like a team – like a solid unit – Rogue have an upper hand without a doubt. Their objective control is far better than Origen’s and they seem to react to situations much faster than Origen, who often find themselves in situations where they don’t know what to do.
This will be a close match that can easily be won or lost in the draft, but I don’t see how any why Rogue are priced so high heading into it. This seems like a complete coin-toss match so we have to side with Rogue.
Prediction: Rogue to win – 1.99
Misfits vs G2 Esports
G2 Esports will play without their star ADC Perkz and will instead field P1noy, but that does not necessarily mean they will be much weaker. While Perkz is arguably one of the best European players in history, P1noy is a proper ADC main, and since he has been with the team for so long, it’s not like he is someone who will struggle with chemistry.
Misfits, on the other side, are entering this match with a 3-0 run behind them which includes wins against Schalke, Vitality and Excel. I wouldn’t rank those wins too highly, however, it’s at least some sort of morale boost for Misfits, who are still working on finding the needed stability to contest top spots in LEC.
In a perfect world, G2 would still come ahead, since they are still 80% of the old G2 that made it to the finals of the World Championship, but without that 20%, we also expect a bit scrappier match from them, which should keep this bout interesting and perhaps even give Misfits a chance to upset the reigning LEC champions.
Either way, this match has everything it needs to be a long and exciting one with plenty of kills on the board. The only way how this match can end quickly is if Misfits stomp G2 or if P1noy proves he is much better than we believe. Nevertheless, Misfits and G2 should be able to produce enough kills to cover then 22.5 line.
Prediction: Over 22.5 kills – 1.943
