Rogue vs G2 Esports

A fight between the defending LEC champions G2 Esports and Rogue is pretty much a spectacle almost by default. There's so much talent and potential present within these two line-ups, it truly boggles the mind. Still, this particular Best of 5 is slightly different than what we're used to seeing -- both teams are fighting in the Losers' Bracket for a shot at reaching the finals. They can, therefore, be deemed as "losers" and, to make matters even more interesting, both of them had lost to MAD Lions in 1-3 fashion (hence the lower bracket placement).

Interesting stuff, to say the least.

So, naturally, neither of them have all that much hype or momentum behind their backs. In fact, they have none whatsoever. Their talent and grit are undeniable, but so were their mistakes and egregious flaws which were so prominent and on display throughout the last couple of weeks. They struggled and failed in a myriad of ways, and it often wasn't a good sight either. And this isn't because of anyone's allegiance, but rather because we know what these two teams are capable of and yet none of their talents were on display. Why, though, is anyone's guess. Maybe it was a bad read of the meta, a sloppy take on a game that has evolved imperceptibly, without them ever noticing. MAD Lions dictated the pace of the game, they attacked and devoured their adversaries with a lot more vigor and determination. They're young and somewhat inexperienced, but you wouldn't be able to tell had you removed their name tags — they played and executed like veterans; a commendable showing, no doubt.

That leaves us with G2 and Rogue, two incredibly capable teams who simply failed to execute on the day -- they had met their match and couldn't do much about it. They drafted badly and played even worse. It was uncharacteristic of them, too, but it only goes to show that nothing should be taken for granted and that the LEC status quo -- stable though it is -- isn't set in stone.

It all comes down to this: a single Best of 5 that'll make or break their Spring Split. G2 Esports, of course, are heavily favored, but the odds don't paint the bigger picture. They're struggling, perhaps now more than ever, and are actually on the brink of defeat. They have a slew of issues none of which can easily be solved. And yes, they're insanely talented and had always delivered when it mattered most, but sooner or later there will come a moment when they'll slip and lose control of the LEC throne. Will Rogue be the ones to overtake them? Probably not, but MAD Lions really do pose a serious threat.

So we'll side with the defending LEC champs on this one as it's the only logical choice. They might be struggling, but they know darn well what they need to do (and how) to bounce back. They've also beaten Rogue throughout the entire 2021 Spring Split, so they know perfectly well what they're up against and how Rogue want to play the game out. That said, this will not be an easy fight.