Fnatic and Schalke 04 will clash this Saturday in the semi-finals of the LEC Summer Split playoffs, with the winner to face G2 Esports in the grand finals.
Having narrowly lost to G2 in round two, Fnatic will be especially hungry for the win and a shot at revenge against their rivals.
But they cannot underestimate Schalke, who have been very solid throughout the LEC Summer season.
Let’s look at the latest League of Legends odds and the chances of each team in this semi-final bout.
Fnatic
$1.20 at GG Bet
Fnatic ended the regular season with a very strong 14-4 record, which earned them a second-place finish and a direct promotion into round two of playoffs.
There they met with their arch-rivals, G2 Esports, who produced a remarkable reverse sweep (3-2) to crush Fnatic, who now have to take the long road to the finals.
Looking back at their performance against G2, Fnatic showcased very oppressive approach in the early game, which proved to be the key for their strong results at the start of the series.
And it was not only their jungler Mads “Broxah” Brock-Pedersen, who was highly aggressive, but it would be safe to say each member of the team did their part to be a nuisance to G2 in the early game.
Unfortunately, Fnatic got outclassed by G2 in last three maps, when it was the French side who won due to sheer talent and overall better approach to the mid and late game.
Schalke 04
$4.33 at GG Bet
Schalke come into the semi-finals of LEC following two very strong results.
An impressive 3-1 win against Vitality in round one of playoffs, followed by yet another 3-1 win against Rogue earned them a spot in the semi-finals for the first time since last year’s summer split.
Entering their fixture against Fnatic, a lot of doubts have surrounded the quality of their bottom lane and questions have been asked whether Schalke duo can perform up to par against Martin “Rekkles” Larsson and Zdravets “Hylissang” Iliev Galabov.
It’s no secret Fnatic’s biggest strength comes from their bottom lane and should Rekkles get ahead early, Schalke will have a big problem on their hands.
That being said, Schalke will not have an easy time in other lanes either, especially in early game, considering Fnatic are known to push for an early lead, which they use to snowball off and win their games.
Fnatic vs Schalke betting predictions
The two sides met twice this split and it was Fnatic who won both meetings. While it’s fair to say Schalke have played very well throughout the playoffs, there is little to suggest they will be able to stand up against Fnatic here.
The biggest concern is not only their bottom lane, but top and mid as well. Both Andrei “Odoamne” Pascu and Felix “Abbedagge” Braun are known to be hit-or-miss in the early game, which fits perfectly with Fnatic’s game plan.
Their extremely aggressive approach in the early game, mixed with the incredible quality of individual players and hunger to reach the finals is enough to convince us Fnatic will take no prisoners on Saturday.
Fnatic are the superior side here, and while there is always room for an upset, Schalke will have to put up a performance of their lives to win here.
Fnatic -1.5 – $1.53 at GG Bet
]]>Schalke finished the season as the fourth seed with an 11-7 record, meaning they earned direct promotion into playoffs.
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Vitality had to leap over one last hurdle after tying for sixth place with a 7-11 record, but they secured their progress with a tiebreaker win against SK Gaming last Saturday.
It was a close match that showcased all the strengths and weaknesses of both sides, yet it was the French side who came through and now enter a tough test against Schalke.
Team Vitality odds – LEC Summer playoffs
$3.45 at GG Bet
If there is one thing that defines Vitality, it is their lack of consistency.
One day they will crush one of the strongest teams in Europe, only to fall flat against the lowliest of opposition in their very next game.
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There were countless examples of that in this split, most notoriously the win against G2 in week seven followed by defeats to SK and Misfit.
Vitality are unpredictable, emotional and aggressive, which can be a double-edged sword.
If they can get their wheels rolling at the start, the French side will ride the wave and finish strong; however, a poor start will crush their confidence.
FC Schalke 04 – LEC Summer playoffs
$1.28 at GG Bet
Schalke looked very good earlier in the split, with solid team fighting and impressive play overall.
There was even reason to believe they could finish top three, but they dropped the ball on several occasions.
Even so, the German side looked good and finished 11-7, which earned them a solid fourth-place finish in the LEC standings.
Schalke’s biggest weapon is the experienced Korean jungler Kim “Trick” Gang-yun, who earned four MVP awards throughout the split.
Also worthy of a mention is Elias “Upset” Lipp, who is an exceptional ADC player and a driving force behind Schalke’s victories.
Team Vitaly vs Schalke 04 betting predictions
Ambitions in Schalke’s camp ahead of the season were to reach the LoL Worlds for the first time in their history.
While there is still a long road to get there, the 2019 season provides them with an excellent opportunity.
They have the quality and the right mindset, and now they just need the results.
Vitality’s aggressive and unorthodox approach to every game often works in their favour, yet it is also what brings them undone.
It is difficult to prepare for a match with the French outfit, and that will hold true for a side Schalke that takes a much more conventional approach to the game.
Despite the odds, this match can go either way. Should Vitality get off to a flyer, this series could easily end in their favour.
A lot would have to go right for that to happen, but you can bet Vitality will not go down without a fight.
Team Vitality +1.5 – $2.11 at GG Bet
]]>The only team locked in its place are the league leaders Fnatic, while all the other competitors have the chance to move either up or down on the ladder. The battle for the last playoff spots is going to be a bloodbath, with six teams fighting over the two spots. Let’s dive into the matches then!
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GIANTS GAMING vs. SPLYCE
Another tough game for Giants, but this time against a team who definitely won’t hold back. Splyce will fight tooth and nail for the playoff bye, and Giants are probably just a minor obstacle for them at the moment. Both individually and macro-wise, Splyce have an edge on Giants on paper, but we won’t know until the game starts. Still, in maybe the most heavily favored match of the week, Splyce are likely to send Giants home before the playoffs.
Best bet: Splyce to win $1.50 with GG Bet
H2K vs. TEAM ROCCAT
Not an easy match to predict, but if we take recent form into consideration… well, it’s still not an easy match to predict. Both of these teams can be brilliant, with H2K beating G2 and Misfits, and Roccat smashing G2 and Vitality in recent games, but when matched against each other, it’s near impossible to know who will be victorious. As mentioned earlier, Roccat likes playing simple snowbally comps, while H2K sometimes likes to give Marcin “Selfie” Wolski and Patrik “Sheriff” Jiru scaling champions and stall the game. In this match, I would give a very slight edge to Roccat, simply because they have looked much more coherent in their macro, but H2K certainly have their say and won’t back down easily.
Best bet: Team Roccat to win $1.53 with GG Bet
UNICORNS OF LOVE vs. MISFITS GAMING
Again, two direct contenders for the last playoff spots meet each other. If UOL lose to G2 earlier, their path to playoffs is over, but if they win, Misfits should be more than respectful towards the motivated bunch of Unicorns they will be playing. Misfits are certainly better individually, but their lows can be so low that UOL might completely stomp them in team-fights. UOL’s strong mid-game team-fighting and synergy will be tough to deal with for Misfits, but if the Rabbits have a good enough early game, the team-fights may not even be needed to win the game for them. Overall, Nubar “Maxlore” Sarafian and the rest of the team will have to stop Jonas “Kold” Andersen from getting the Unicorns ahead, and since Kold is well known for his shaky pathing and getting caught out, a slight edge to Misfits might be the most that can be said about this match.
Best bet: Misfits Gaming to win $1.36 with GG Bet
G2 vs. TEAM VITALITY
The two shakiest of the top four teams meet in their last game of the split, directly fighting over a higher spot on the table. GodGilius and the crew might have what it takes to take down G2, especially if Perkz plays as badly as he did last week, and Jiizuke comes out of lane with a lead. Vitality’s bot lane also seems much more stable than the much criticized duo of G2. The answer to G2’s needs will lie in the top lane and jungle positions, where Martin “Wunder” Hansen has been popping off all split, and is very likely to beat Lucas “Cabochard” Simon-Meslet in lane convincingly. Marcin “Jankos” Jankowski is also in much better form than Gilius, and shutting his opponent in the early game will be of key value for G2. Still, Vitality’s simple strategy has worked against struggling teams, and the Bees have a good chance of taking this game.
Best bet: Team Vitality to win $2.20 with GG Bet
FNATIC vs. FC SCHALKE 04
The last game of the split will be the regular split winners Fnatic playing against the newly motivated Schalke. The German team is one of the most mechanically proficient in the league, and if Fnatic decides to take the game easy or practice some new compositions, Schalke might punish them and lock their cherished playoff spot. However, Martin “Rekkles” Larsson and Rasmus “Caps” Winther have looked unbeatable in the last few weeks, and will probably have their own reasons to display their full skills and confidently decimate any opponent they face. Fnatic are the favorites once again, but the Boys in Royal Blue might just catch the last train to playoffs with a win in one of the toughest matches of the season.
Best bet: Fnatic to win $1.40 with GG Bet
League of Legends EU predictions for Sunday
- GIA vs SPY – SPY
- H2k vs ROC – ROC
- UOL vs MSF – MSF
- G2 vs VIT – VIT
- FNC vs S04 – FNC Best place to get involved in the above action is with GG Bet ]]>