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The playoffs of the first Major region in League of Legends are gaining momentum.LEC Winter 2024 comes after a week's pause with another round of the main stage.
In this particular case, we are talking about the lower grid. GiantX and MAD Lions will play each other in the first round. The format of the meeting, as before, is Bo3.
We're trying to figure out which of the pair will be stronger and will advance further on the last chance grid as a result of the match. Vitality is already waiting for the winner of the pair in the next round.
Let's go.
MAD Lions KOI uniforms
We open the match breakdown with an analysis of MAD Lions KOI's match form. In this match they will play as favourites with odds to win at around 1.7.
Based on the LEC spring split, it looked like the MAD Lions were all-in. "The Lions made a tiebreaker in the group stage and barely made it to the group stage. There with fights, sweat and blood they reached the play-offs, where in the first round in a tough Bo5 they defeated their future rival - G2 Esports, but even there the misfortunes did not end: they needed to defeat Vitality (3-1) and make Reverse Sweep against BDS in the grand final.
- MAD Lions line-up: Chasy, Elyoya, Nisqy, Carzzy, Hylissang.
The Lions have a fighting roster, no doubt about it. They have proved it many times in practice, which, however, does not always lead to high performance, first of all on the international stage, but sometimes at home as well.
For example, MSI 2023 and top 8 there, which is good in principle, but the result at LEC Summer 2023 is already sad. At the last LEC Championships MAD Lions, the reigning Spring Split champions, crashed out at the Top 7 position, which is clearly not the level.
LEC Finals 2023 MAD Lions started with a match against EXCEL. The opening match of the summer split against MAD Lions temporarily confirmed the thesis of a one-tournament team, losing to the "lions" with a score of 0-3 without a chance.
In the match before that, MAD Lions played against G2 Esports. Obviously, they lost, with a score of 1-3.
In the battle for a slot at the LEC Finals 2023 Grand Final, MAD Lions Ledge and Fnatic. The colourful game ended with the score 2-3 in favour of the Orange. Thus, MAD Lions qualified for the Worlds 2023 on the third quota from Europe.
"Lions" Long Sogpeg at Worlds 2023 with a loss to Cloud9 and continued their performance on the main stage of the year with a victory in the European derby against BDS. In the third game, MAD Lions Ledge fought through a seemingly passable match against NRG Esports. In the decisive match at Worlds 2023, the team played against Weibo. Decisive because MAD Lions Ledge went 0-2 and crashed out of the Worlds.
MAD Lions will try to return to the top of the European League of Legends with a match against Team Heretics. It will be difficult for the Lions there, but they should win the game against SK Gaming, sort of. On the whole, it turned out to be the opposite: we beat Heretics and lost to SK Gaming. In the third match they played against Karmine Corp and it was a real extravaganza: The International ernet war between fans, about 750,000 thousand spectators at the peak and the final victory of MAD Lions.
MAD Lions went through the group stage with problems. The team closed the group with a score of 5-4.
In the first round of play-offs, the Lions met Fnatic. "Orange" played very well and slammed MAD Lions with a score of 2-0.
Most popular MAD Lions champions
Fiora (2 matches, 100% wins) and KSante (2 matches, 50% wins) appeared in the top for MAD Lions most often. Renekton (1 game, 100% wins) and Gnar (1 game and that defeat) were also taken.
Sejuani (3 matches, 66% wins) is popular in the forest. Next is Wukong with 2 appearances and 50% wins, and there was also Maokai who won his only match.
On the centre line, Viktor (1-1) and Akali (1-1) have 2 matches each. Azir and Sylas won their matches.
Among shooters Varus appeared most often (3 matches, 66% of wins). Lucian was picked 2 times (1-1) and Sivir was picked once more (1-0).
Thresh (1-1), Lulu (1-1) were picked more often than others. Nami and Ashe, who appeared 1 time each, won their matches.
GiantX Form
We continue our match analysis with an analysis of GiantX's form. In this match, they are playing as a number two, with odds to win at around 2.
GIANTX is the new name for the LEC league. The LEC 2024 Winter Split is the debut match for the club, which has absorbed the EXCEL slot. Incidentally, GIANTX themselves are the fruit of a merger between British club EXCEL and Spanish club Giants.
GIANTX had a very difficult last season. At LEC Winter 2023, the team completely failed, finishing in the top 10.
The spring split, however, didn't show anything new. GIANTX once again failed in the split and once again came in last.
- EXCEL line-up: Odoamne, Peach, Abbedagge, Patrik, LIMIT.
After two disgusting splits, GIANTX changed their forester and replaced Targamas with South Korean legionnaire Peach. The change was a good thing, because there is no other way to explain the miracle-run at LEC Summer 2023.
GIANTX not only finished in the top 3, but also made it to the split grand finals, thus guaranteeing themselves a spot in the LEC Finals. Ledge and G2 Esports are in the finals, but there is no shame in that, you have to understand.
The achievements of LEC Summer 2023 are at risk of being reversed given the experience of the first match of LEC Finals 2023. In the match against MAD Lions, GIANTX looked more like what we saw during LEC Winter and Spring, but not at the summer split.
In the next match, then EXCEL faced Fnatic. That match was more like something worthwhile and ended in a full-fledged bo5, but in Fnatic's favour. For ex-Excel, LEC Finals 2024 ended with a top-5 finish.
In their first match under the new tag, GIANTX will meet Vitality. I think the Ledge Bees will bee. Next up is The International and the game against BDS. If the French can beat the former, it's hard to believe that they will succeed against BDS.
GiantX barely made it to the play-offs of LEC Winter 2024. They managed to do it only during the last match of the regular season against Rogue. They fell to G2 Esports in the first round of the main stage, which resulted in a quick 0-2 loss.
Most Popular GIANTX Champions
On the top line the most frequent picks are KSante (4 matches, 50% wins), Gnar (3 matches, 100% wins).
Foresters picks are Wukong (4 matches, 50% wins), Vi (2 matches, 50% wins), Nocturne (2 matches, 50% wins), Viego (2 matches, 0% wins).
On the centre line Gragas (4 matches, 50% wins), Annie (4 matches, 50% wins).
Aphelios (6 matches, 33% wins), Jinx (3 matches, 66% wins), Zeri (2 matches, 100% wins).
The other stable players are Lulu (3 matches, 66% wins), Rakan (3 games, 0% wins), Nautilus (2 matches, 50% wins).
GiantX - MAD Lions KOI head-to-head history
In the main stage of LEC Winter 2024, GiantX defeated MAD Lions in a head-to-head match.
Predicted result of MAD Lions KOI vs GiantX at LEC Winter 2024
As far as I'm concerned, this match should end on three maps. I don't see how the Lions can swat GiantX without any problems, but I still think they are the favourites. I think it will be something around 2-1 in favour of MAD Lions, but I wouldn't be surprised if they blow the match. In general, my choice is total 2.5.
Bottom line: total +2.5.
