The LoL esports EU LCS playoffs are about to get wild! The first set of Bo5s is behind us, and now we’re heading for the semifinals matches between Team Vitality and FC Schalke 04 and Fnatic and Misfits Gaming. Who’s going to win, who’s going to lose, and how can you make money in the process? Find the answer in our LoL esports EU LCS playoffs predictions!
Team Vitality vs FC Schalke 04
If you were to compare the current iteration of Vitality with Vitality at the beginning of the 2018 EU LCS Summer Split, it would be like looking at two completely different teams. A part of it comes from the roster changes. The decision to bring in Kikis instead of Gilius was one of the smartest moves Vitality could’ve made, and the new jungler is the perfect fit for this roster. Not only is he more aggressive than his predecessor, but he’s also much better at working together with Jiizuke.
In one fell swoop, Vitality gained a ton of agency in the mid lane, which, in turn, freed up Atilla and Cabochard to wreak havoc in the side lanes. Granted, their late game is pretty volatile. But when the push comes to shove, they always pick up the slack, and that’s more than you can say about other EU LCS lineups.
Meanwhile, FC Schalke 04 barely qualified for the semifinals. Their LoL esports EU LCS playoffs series against Splyce came down to the wire, and it was purely because of Schalke’s clutch factor that they managed to come out on top. Of course, the ability to make those do-or-die calls is not to be underestimated. But even then, it’s clear Schalke have a lot of trouble navigating the early game, which makes them incredibly vulnerable to Vitality’s aggression.
On top of that, there’s a distinct lack of individual strength. Their ace—Nukeduck—fell into a bit of a slump, and he’s no longer the main carry of this team. And while Upset is a decent replacement, his hit-or-miss decision-making often forces Schalke to take unnecessary risks. Still, there is a world where Schalke hold off Vitality’s onslaught. But even if they get to that late game sweet spot, it remains to be seen whether they can stand up to Vitality’s teamfighting.
BETTING ADVICE: Schalke are outmatched here. You can bet on Team Vitality winning the series with a 3-0 score for odds of 4.80 at Betway. If you want to minimize the risks, you could explore the Team Vitality -1.5 handicap wager for odds of 2.35 on the same platform.
Fnatic vs Misfits
Now, we know what you’re thinking. Fnatic dominated the entire 2018 Summer Split, so they should have this LoL esports EU LCS playoffs match in the bag. It’s true that Fnatic are a very impressive lineup, but a large part of their success comes from Caps. Not only does his vast champion pool keeps his opponents guessing, but his razor-sharp mechanics push him to the level of a world-class mid laner.
Throw in a potent jungler in Broxah and strong side laner in sOAZ and Bwipo, and it’s no wonder this team is so successful. That said, Fnatic never experienced true adversity. The regular season was a breeze for them, so they never had to execute complex strategies or clever tactics to topple their opponents. On top of that, the meta shifted towards bot lane marksmen. And while Fnatic have Rekkles just for the occasion, the AD carry didn’t get nearly enough stage time to reach his peak form in the 2018 Summer Split.
Meanwhile, Misfits had a massive resurgence in their playoffs match against G2 Esports. The duo of Hans Sama and Mikyx is stronger than ever, and its explosive laning phase can easily crush unsuspecting bot lanes. The same applies to Alphari who’s putting on a show on a wide range of frontliners. Granted, Sencux still looks shaky in the mid lane, but Misfits know full well how to cover this weakness.
Then, there’s the preparation angle. It’s no secret that Misfits have a very capable coaching staff behind them. And while that doesn’t translate into great results in Bo1s, they definitely have what it takes to make the necessary adaptations in the LoL esports EU LCS playoffs format.
BETTING ADVICE: This is still a Fnatic-favored matchup, but their edge isn’t as big as you might think. You can bet on Fnatic winning the series with a 3-2 score for odds of 4.50 at EsportsBetting.
