Gen.G esports vs MAD Lions

What a truly spectacular way to start off the day -- MAD Lions vs. Gen.G is bound to deliver in all the right ways, so definitely make sure to tune in! Heck, this is probably the most important match of the day as well as it'll heavily influence the standings in Group D.

MAD Lions are currently ranked behind Gen.G and LNG Esports and are, in fact, tied with Team Liquid. It's not the worst position in the world, but it definitely leaves a bit to be desired. And, well, it's not the position any of us expected them to be in coming into 2021 Worlds. Still, they had a week to warm up and had some extremely close games, so it's not like they're no longer favored to make it out of groups -- far from it! Still, winning this game against Gen.G will be an absolute must if the LEC champs want to stand a chance of making it out. Losing wouldn't exactly be the most fatal blow, but it would severely hinder their chances going forward.

On paper, MAD have all the right tools and player to win all three of their forthcoming matches. In reality, though, they haven't been all too consistent or cohesive. Moreover, their drafts ranged from great to downright dreadful. Still, they've had enough time to figure things out and find their footing in the current meta which, in turn, means they'll surely put on a show today.

Gen.G, on the other hand, are in a slightly more favorable position, although it's definitely a gap that can be narrowed in a moment's notice. This venerable LCK giant has looked quite solid thus far which, in all fairness, was to be expected. Gen.G is often dominant in Best of 1s, especially when they can impose their own playstyle and scale into the mid- and late-game with their comfort picks. Plus, a team with Bdd and Ruler simply has to be given the benefit of the doubt almost by default. Still, they're far from infallible, and their iffy track record on the international stage tells the same tale as well. Whenever they faced teams who were faster, more decisive and aggressive, Gen.G tended to crumble underneath the pressure. Will that happen yet again? Who knows, but the odds certainly aren't stacked in their favor, if recent history is any indication.

That's why we simply have to side with MAD on this one, even though we're not doing so with any supreme amount of confidence. They have the lead in their head-to-head with Gen.G and if they had found a way to win back when they weren't playing their best League of Legends, there's really no reason why they wouldn't be able to emerge victorious yet again, now that they've had a bit of time to acclimate to the Worlds stage.

With all of that said, don't expect a one-sided affair or a quick shellacking in anyone's favor -- these two giants will trade blows from start to finish, and it'll all be decided by the slimmest of margins. And, naturally, it could really go either way.