Fnatic vs MAD Lions

Finally, to close out the day, we have an absolute barnburner: MAD Lions vs. Fnatic. What a delight for fans of the LEC and those who are into high-octane competitive League of Legends. There are so many peculiar questions and exquisite narratives coming into this one game, and with MAD Lions already having a lead in their head to head record, the onus will be on Fnatic to perform and make a statement. But it'll be mighty hard against a team as dominant and in sync as MAD Lions.

Fnatic are by no means as clean or as commanding as everyone expected them to be coming into Summer. They've had an entire split to sync up with Selfmade and yet there's synergy to speak of. It's strange, really. They're still solid (if not great) on an individual level, but there's no teamwork whatsoever. They've regressed in every way, shape, and form, and when they engage you can notice this lack of communication and clear game plan. No one's quite sure what's going on, and that includes Fnatic -- which is quite a worrying sign. Being flawed isn't necessarily a problem as you can always solve what needs solving through hard work and dedication; not knowing *why* you're playing badly, however, is often a problem that cannot be solved in a couple of weeks' time. It all depends on how well they approach their issues, and whether or not they have enough experience and a solid enough coaching staff to deal with it all.

Fnatic deserve everyone's benefit of the doubt, but they're far worse right now than anyone could have expected. When they win, it's mostly through individual talent or someone popping off beyond measure, but those instances are few and far between. There's always someone who's underperforming for whatever reason -- be it Bwipo, Nemesis, or Hylissang, and you never really know which shade of Fnatic will come out on stage and compete. That's quite a big problem, especially against a team that looks rather unassailable right now and is making very few mistakes regardless of opponent.

MAD Lions are the real deal, and watching them play and dominate has been an absolute pleasure. They're the best performing and cleanest team in the region right now, which is quite incredible given the depth and talent that's present in the LEC. And it's not just that they're insanely talented on an individual level, but also the fact that they play, think, and execute as a five-man unit, regardless of whom they're up against. That's a rarity in competitive League of Legends, and is a testament to MAD's stacked coaching staff and their ability to scout talent.

They've done more than enough to warrant our benefit of the doubt. They might not be perfect, but they're insanely dominant and have been taking teams down left and right with relative ease. They know what Fnatic is good at and they're bound to prepare well. This clash will surely deliver expectation-wise, and it's also immensely important for the grand scheme of things -- so make sure to tune in! If both teams bring their A-game, this could be a clash to remember!