FC Schalke 04 vs MAD Lions

It’s no secret that MAD Lions have been struggling quite a bit ever since their return from Reykjavik, Iceland. Well, perhaps “struggle” isn’t the most apt way to describe it as it sounds a bit too theatrical, but the point still stands. Their read on the meta isn’t particularly good, and their play leaves a bit to be desired as well. They’re just not as dangerous or cohesive as the MAD Lions we saw back in Spring and, frankly, that’s okay.

We know for a fact that they’ll soon get back into the swing of things and once again impress us in all the right ways. The important thing, though, is for them to not drop too many games in the meantime. They’ve already done more than enough to warrant our benefit of the doubt and, frankly, they might actually stand a chance of defending their LEC throne. Their loss to EXCEL yesterday definitely hurt their stock quite a bit (we’re putting it mildly here), but they’re still amongst the best teams in Europe and will surely prove it against Schalke tonight as well.

Speaking of S04, they haven’t been doing all too hot, which was to be expected given the many key roster changes they had made coming into the second half of 2021. Without Abbedagge and Gilius, this team is much less dangerous and capable, and it shows in their play, too. Still, this particular line-up can definitely pack a punch and they should not be underestimated. Be that as it may, MAD Lions are better across the board, so if they draft to their strengths and play even remotely well, they shouldn’t have too much trouble in taking Schalke down.