FC Schalke 04 vs Astralis

For our first match of the day we have a rather peculiar clash between Schalke 04 and Astralis. Now, this is probably as far from a premier clash of titans as you can get, but it's still a somewhat entertaining opener, especially if you're aboard the Schalke 04 hype train. They're the only team in the LEC that's on a four-game winstreak and, well, they've earned all the hype and commendation they've been getting. They're not winning through any happenstance either — they're just surprisingly good at League of Legends right now, and they've taken very little time in letting everyone know it. Sure, they've been rather dreadful in the first week of play, but ever since that point they've been knocking heads and taking names like it's nothing.

As for their winstreak? Well, it's exceptional, to say the least. And it's not necessarily the number that's impressive, but rather the teams they've beaten to attain it: SK Gaming, G2 Esports, Rogue, and Misfits Gaming. One half of that list contains two of the best and most consistent teams in Europe right now, so it's impossible not to praise Schalke for what they've been able to accomplish, in spite of the odds.

So, right now, no one's quite sure how high to rank them and whether or not they're truly as good as it seems. This isn't the first time they've gone on such an impressive run, and it's becoming harder and harder to doubt their inherent potential. This time around, however, they're against what can easily be deemed as the absolute worst and least capable team in the LEC: Astralis, formerly known as Origen. Simply put, they're underwhelming in every which way, and there's very little chance they'll ever get better enough to compete for a spot higher up the standings. That's just the reality of it all. To make matters even worse, they've lost their one seasoned veteran: Nukeduck, who had decided to take a leave of absence for personal reasons. Instead, Astralis will be forced to start with solo queue phenom MagiFelix. Now, it's not about sheer talent or consistency right now but rather about veterancy -- without a grizzled veteran in the mid lane to lead the charge, Astralis will be weaker than ever before, and that's a problem. Simply put, there's not a lot that can be said about them right now, at least nothing overly positive. For all intents and purposes, they're a bottom-tier dweller that's a bit better than expected. Nothing more, nothing less.

In any case, we'll side with Schalke on this one as it's the only logical option. They might not be perfect, but they're more than capable enough to take down a team of Astralis' caliber.