LEC Spring Finals 2022 Preview

Three teams, two matches, one victor. The first champion of LEC 2022 will be decided this weekend, and we’re going to have a go at figuring out who it will be.

G2 vs Fnatic

A tale as old as time, or so it seems. Fnatic will take on G2 for the fourth time this season and the second in play-offs. Having won their previous meeting 3-1, Fnatic look like obvious favourites here, but things are rarely so simple in a match-up with so much history.

Since losing in round one, G2 have blazed a trail through the lower bracket. Back-to-back 3-0 stomps see them on a collision course with destiny. They punished Vitality mistakes in round one and schooled Misfits in round two, but what did we learn about their rematch this weekend?

Well, G2 have shown more resiliency in the games between then and now, but I still don’t see them having enough to turn the previous result around. Fnatic showed more in their 3-2 defeat to Rogue than G2 did in their wins. Vitality threw away one game in their series and Misfits looked appropriately named – by far the weakest team at that stage of the bracket. To put it another way, G2’s wins came against weaker opposition. Not only that, but they had multiple comeback wins, most notably causing commentator Medic to curse as they stole an important dragon soul. Fnatic won’t let things like that happen. 

Fnatic, meanwhile, were one game away from going straight to the grand-final in their last outing. The only way I can see them not getting a shot at redemption is if they are already too focused on that potential rematch with Rogue. If Fnatic takes G2 too lightly, maybe there’s a chance of an upset, but G2 would still need to up their game considerably from the last meeting.

Bookies have Fnatic comfortable favourites and I have to agree. G2 won’t roll over, of course, but Fnatic is simply a class above right now, and should move on to meet Rogue in the grand-final.

Fnatic vs Rogue

Technically, this is Rogue vs TBD, but we all know who it’s likely to be. Another rematch, but this time we’re reconvening a much closer 3-2 series from this past weekend. Indeed, if this match is half as entertaining as game one of the last time these teams met, we’re in for a treat.

Just like the score in that previous series, Sunday’s final is likely to be much closer than Saturday’s match. This is not just results-based analysis because of the 3-2 result last time, though. These two teams are evenly matched. They went 1-1 in the regular split, finished first and second in the league, with just a single victory to separate them. 3-2 was a fair reflection of the teams’ whole season, let alone the match itself.

Last time around, the junglers made a huge difference and I expect nothing different this weekend. It’s no coincidence that Malrang and Razork had exceptional kill participation in the games their respective sides won. Even in defeat, Malrang did an excellent, hex-flash-assisted, job of finding gank angles throughout each game.

The laners for these two teams are so evenly matched that the importance of junglers is no surprise. Fnatic may try to attack Malrang’s champion pool in bans, as they did in game five of the previous series, but even on Trundle duty he was a difference maker. That being said, it was the solo laners who really shone in that dominant 23-minute game five win. Odoamne continues to age like a fine wine, while Larrsen looked untouchable on Sylas in back-to-back games.

Oh, and it’s not as if their bottom lane is weak either. Comp and Trymbi rarely seem to get the same plaudits as the rest of their team, but they’re so rarely the reason their team loses. They’re just so solid, so consistent. Rogue simply doesn’t have a weak point, right now, it seems.

Of course, Fnatic will know all this and will have had a week to prepare, but I still see Rogue as having the edge. They have had the edge in every department, albeit narrowly, all season. With that in mind, I expect a close series, probably – hopefully – another 3-2, but I expect it to go Rogue’s way again.

Just like last year, you could argue that Rogue are their own worst enemies. Unlike last year, though, they have already shown the ability to deal with pressure that they sorely lacked in 2021. They evidently have the ability to win this match, so if they can match it with a strong mental game they are favourites to finally take home an LEC title.