by The regular season of the 2020 League of Legends European Championship (LEC) Spring Split came to a close last Saturday, leaving six LoL teams in the hunt for the title. Here is the list of six finalists who will enter the LEC Spring Split playoffs, which are scheduled to commence on Friday, April 3.
1. G2 Esports (15-3)
The reigning LEC champions and 2019 LoL World Championship silver-medallists entered this season with high expectations, and they have delivered the goods thus far. Although G2 went through a rough patch during the fourth and fifth week when they lost three games and denied themselves a perfect run, a 15-3 record to end the regular season is still an impressive feat and clear indication of their domestic dominance.
2. Fnatic (13-5)
The most successful team in LEC history put up one of the most consistent runs through the regular season. While they failed to catch up with their rivals G2, a 13-5 record is nothing to take lightly. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Fnatic’s campaign has been the fast integration of their new jungler, Oskar “Selfmade” Boderek, who has quickly become a pivotal part of the squad.
3. Origen (13-5)
Origen did not need long to establish themselves as one of the best LEC teams this season, and their final placement is legitimately deserved. They looked unstoppable against the weaker teams, with all five of their defeats coming against rosters that finished in the top five. Consistency has been the key to Origen’s success, and now they’re set to chase their first European title since the 2015 Spring Split.
4. MAD Lions (11-7)
MAD Lions built their squad with a simple plan in mind: sign Marek “Humanoid” Brázda, add four rookies and watch the team develop. Not only did they show signs of progress early on, they instantly became serious playoff contenders. What is most encouraging for MAD Lions is that the rookies have more than held their own, sometimes even outperforming Humanoid.
5. Misfits (10-8)
Midway through the season, Misfits looked guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. As the season progressed, however, Fabian “Febiven” Diepstraten and co. started to stumble. While Misfits still managed to secure a playoffs spot, many expected to see them sit a spot higher and gain a direct invite to the upper bracket.
6. Rogue (9-9)
It has been wild ride for Rogue, but they finished exactly where they spent most of the split: just above the playoffs line. Simon “fredy122” Payne’s squad look capable of much more than their 9-9 record would appear to suggest, and now they have a perfect chance to prove their worth as Rogue enter the LEC playoffs for only the second time in their history.
What happened to the rest?
Missing the playoffs berth were Excel Esports (7-11), FC Schalke 04 (6-12), SK Gaming (4-14) and Team Vitality (2-16). Although the young Vitality roster and shambolic SK Gaming never looked like serious contenders, it was unfortunate to see Schalke struggle the way they did. Internal struggles, roster moves, underwhelming performances and the eventual benching of Konstantinos “FORG1VEN” Tzortziou all played a part in the German side’s downfall. Although Schalke found their footing with three wins in the final two weeks, by then it was too little, too late.
LEC Spring 2020 playoffs fixtures
The LEC 2020 Spring Split playoffs are slated to begin on Friday, April 3, with the grand finals set to be played on Sunday, April 19.
Winners’ Bracket:
G2 Esports vs MAD Lions – Friday, April 3
Fnatic vs Origen – Saturday, April 4
Losers’ Bracket:
Misfits vs Rogue – Sunday, April 5
