The LEC Spring Playoffs begin tomorrow, and to start with a bang, it’s Fnatic against G2! Let’s preview this match, the stakes, and what to expect out of yet another episode in this rivalry.
Fnatic and G2 have faced off countless times in playoffs since G2’s arrival in the league in 2016, the two teams have met in 14 out of 25 playoffs. But year after year, their rosters change, and so does their shape. More often than not, G2 is at the top of the league, and Fnatic lags behind, either in second place or further below.
But this split is different. G2 ended Winter by getting crushed by KC in the finals in a resounding 3-0, and they haven’t proven that they’re back in their regular shape yet. Starting the Spring split 3-0, G2 proceeded to lose their next three matches, and only finish in 4th place off the back of a 5-4 record. Most of their wins were also not earned off of the level of dominance that we’ve come to expect out of G2, and rather from less decisive games.
Image Credit: LEC/Flickr
On the other hand, Fnatic seemed clean in the Winter regular season and cleaner yet in Spring, relying less on individual mechanics and more on a better team cohesion and planning to get leads in games, while also being less likely to throw said leads – as became their trademark in 2024.
Fnatic finished the Spring regular season with a 7-2 record. The first loss was their second match, in the very first week, where they played particularly poorly, and after which they commented it was good for them that they got exposed this early, allowing them to fix things. The second loss… was one single Nexus hit from being a win. In other words, FNC were one hit away from finishing the regular season in first place again.
And unlike many recent splits, FNC have kept on looking strong in their last matches.
Heading into the playoffs in second place against fourth place, Fnatic are definitely looking stronger than G2.
Fnatic are looking stronger than G2, yes. However, Fnatic also looked stronger in numerous other playoffs in the past. In which G2 still triumphed.
G2 is a whole different beast in the playoffs compared to the regular season. Is it the best of 5s? The time to scout and prepare for opponents individually? The downtime before playoffs and the teachings they’ve learned during the split? A better discipline? Probably a bit of everything. But the result is clear. Ever since joining the league in 2016, G2 have been the favorites in every single playoffs with the sole exception of 2018.
Image Credit: LEC/Flickr
On the other side, FNC have consistently looked shakier in playoffs, for at least a few years. Take the Winter split just three months ago, for the latest example. Fnatic finishes 8-1 in the regular split, and then proceeds to get kicked down to the loser’s bracket by G2, to win a series against BDS that was so close that it felt like BDS had won all three games of it, and to get eliminated by KC without even reaching finals.
History is not on the side of the boys in orange. Ever since losing Caps to G2 at the start of 2019, they’ve gone 4-5 in non-finals playoff matches against G2. And what about finals? 7-0 for G2.
Thankfully for FNC, this isn’t finals – it’s round 1. I will say that G2 are favored to win this round. They always are. No matter how regular season goes, they turn up the heat in playoffs, and that has to get into the opponents’ head, too. FNC know that this is a wall they’re up against, yet again.
But this is Fnatic’s best LoL odds in a long while. And they’ve won while looking worse, and with G2 looking better – plus, they’ve won their BO3 against G2 last month. So the outcome is about as much of a toss-up as it’s ever been.
Image Credit: LEC/Flickr
One thing’s for certain, though: this match will be fun. These two teams always bring something special to their matches against each other, and they vehemently refuse to lose without a fight. Exotic picks, repeated dives, jungle fights, extended skirmishes, hail mary fights, 10 players wanting to put up a show: this is what G2 vs Fnatic matches always deliver. Be sure to be there – it will be a spectacle!
The winner of this series advances to round 3, one match away from finals and MSI qualification, to face off against the winner of MKoi vs KC on Monday. The loser goes down to face either Team Heretics or GiantX in the loser’s bracket. Whichever way the series goes, it’s likely that Fnatic and G2 will meet again in either the loser’s finals, or the grand finals.
Tune in tomorrow, Saturday the 24th, at 17:00 CEST to watch the G2 vs Fnatic LEC Playoffs match!
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