EU LCS Playoffs Semifinal: Fnatic vs Team Vitality


(Image Credit: artubr)

Both semifinal match-ups in the 2018 EU LCS Spring Split playoffs look amazing. On Friday 30th March, G2 Esports will place Splyce whilst on Saturday 31st March Fnatic will go head to head against Vitality. The winners of both semifinals will play each other in the finals on Sunday 8th April in Copenhagen, with the losers taking part in a battle for third place on Saturday 7th April.

Vitality are the underdogs

Many analysts predicted that H2k would make it through their quarterfinals series against Vitality, but Vitality defied expectations and won out against H2k with three wins to two after a close-fought series.

Vitality still have a lot to prove if they have any hope of defeating a diminished Fnatic. Although Jiizuke is undoubtedly one of Vitality’s main carries and has been one of the best-performing rookies of the entire Spring Split, there have been doubts as to the rest of Vitality’s roster. Their jungler, Erberk “Gilius” Demir, has come under fire recently due to some lacklustre performances in the jungle, particularly when it comes to objective steals. Time and time again Vitality’s opponents have stolen Baron away from Vitality and if Vitality can’t improve their play around such key objectives, then they will struggle in their semifinals series.

Fnatic have to cope with losing sOAZ

Although Vitality have to improve their mid and late game to have any chance of winning against Fnatic, they may have been thrown a lifeline by the unexpected news that Fnatic’s top laner, sOAZ, has been forced to pull out from the rest of the Spring Split due to a hand injury. Replacing sOAZ will be Gabriel "Bwipo" Rau, who has played two games for Fnatic this Spring Split.

Although midlaner Caps and the bot lane duo Rekkles and Hylissang will still start for Fnatic, there’s no doubt that the Fnatic roster will be poorer for sOAZ’s absence. However, Rekkles has been on insane form this Spring Split and has proven to be especially lethal on Tristana, so Fnatic are more than capable of giving Vitality a challenge during the semifinals.

The only other advantage that Vitality holds over Fnatic is the fact that Vitality now have experience playing in a Bo5 format as they have already experienced a playoffs series against H2k in the quarterfinals. As this will be Fnatic’s first match in the playoffs, we still do not know how Fnatic will adapt to the pressures that a Bo5 can bring.

Despite their setbacks, Fnatic still remain the favourites to win against Vitality, but only time will tell whether their roster will remain strong enough to prove the predictions right.

Fnatic will take on Vitality on Saturday 31st March 2018. The first match in the series is scheduled to begin at 5pm CET. You can watch the action as it unfolds on the LoL Esports YouTube channel.

Who do you think will win, Fnatic or Vitality? Let us know in the comments below!

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