LEC: The fight for world qualification begins. Group Stage Preview

After a week of rest, the European LEC is starting its programme again. Eight teams will now compete for the title and qualification for the Worlds.

Time is getting shorter and shorter before the Worlds. Gradually, leagues everywhere in the world are reaching the end of the regular season and the lists of teams that will fight for their regional titles are crystallizing.

However, within these battles will also be the questions of who will represent their region at the 13th Worlds hosted by South Korea.

The European LEC has the second third of the summer split ahead of it – the group stage, where eight teams have split into two groups of four and will play their Bo3 series in turn. We now take a look at the teams that may surprise and those from whom much is expected.

G2 Esports (8-1 in the regular season)

The biggest stalwarts and certainties of the European competition are undoubtedly G2 Esports. Winner of the winter split and the fourth team of the spring, they are the most stable team in the European competition. Although, like MAD Lions, they did not make it to MSI, their strength and tactical maturity should not be underestimated.

G2 Esports had a fantastic summer, and apart from losing to MAD Lions in the regular season, they did not lose. The team members don’t come across as someone who has fluctuations. Stability and a clear direction make G2 Esports a strong contender for the title once again.

It is an advantage for the team to have already won the winter split. A possible failure during the summer gives them the certainty of participating in the World Qualifiers (Season Finals), where they can correct their hesitations. Still, not making the playoffs would be a big surprise.

Fnatic (7-2)

The big surprise of the summer so far is definitely Fnatic. After the worst split in the organization’s history and a promising spring, the team has finally found its strength. Long term concept and work with the team has earned Nightshar great results and a figurative return to the limelight.

If Fnatic easily made it through the regular season, the group stage will be the ultimate test. The team will not only have to prove that their success in the first round was not accidental, but also keep their focus.

If Fnatic want to think about Worlds, they need to go far during the summer and preferably be in the elite four. The team has clearly set this goal. However, they will be counting on their main rivals for the Season Finals to stumble. Otherwise, the team will have to make it all the way to the finals if they want to be assured of participation.

Excel and Team Heretics (5-4)

Both of these teams, like Fnatic, have been pleasant surprises. The cagey Team Heretics have found a way to break out of their inconsistent performances and their play doesn’t look bad at all.

Excels, on the other hand, were not really counted on. Two horrendous splits, with the team languishing at the bottom of the league, didn’t give much chance of success. But the team was able to pick itself up at the right time and attempt a major miracle.

For both teams, the further they get during the summer, the more their chances of world qualification grow. At the same time, they must hope that their main competitor Fnatic doesn’t go any further. Moreover, they will also be competing with each other on this issue.

Excel has the worst position to make the Season Finals out of all the teams in the group stage. The team will have to hope that SK Gaming doesn’t lose anything at all, while also doing the best they can to reach the finals. Heretics have that position a little easier, but the same is actually true for them. Will a miracle happen?

Team BDS, KOI, MAD Lions and SK Gaming (4-5)

All four teams have survived the regular season so far with more or less embarrassment. The BDS players have not built on a phenomenal spring and are still searching in vain for stability.

KOI also did not start the summer in optimal form. Unfortunately for them, the base reading has not gone to their liking and the team has bought a significant amount of errors.

The MAD Lions, like G2, are assured of participation in the world qualifiers. The winner of the spring split, they can take this phase of the league as preparation. Still, the Lions should be wary of the unexpectedly frequent fluctuations in performance.

SK Gaming have been playing consistently by their standards all season. Still, the team must now work hard if they want to have a chance. However, the movement around the middle of the table so far is not enough for the organization considering the performance rankings.

SK Gaming’s performance will be of great interest to Fnatic in particular. They will be hoping that SK will not go far and conquer the possible last qualification spot just for themselves. Their duel at the start of the group stage may give a lot of hints.

The group stage of the summer split starts today. The battle for world qualification and the four spots at this stage of the season (not counting G2 and MAD Lions) will begin with a clash between Excel and MAD Lions from 18:00. This will be followed by a battle between Fnatic and SK Gaming from 21:00. The LEC can be watched on the official YouTube or Twitch channels.

Source: LEC, Leaguepedia, Kaza LoL