Let’s do a somewhat quick 2019 LEC Summer Split week 9 recap in order to see how the European standings finally resolved after nine weeks of competitive play. Saying that the entire LEC regular season delivered would truly be an understatement. But who came out on top? Which are the teams and faces that will continue competing to dethrone G2 Esports?

Let’s take a closer look.

First — G2 Esports (15W-3L)

The fact that G2 Esports ended the regular portion of the split at the very top should come as a surprise to absolutely no one. And even the three losses on their record could have been avoided (two of them, at least), had they wanted to tryhard and go for a perfect 18-0 record.

Regardless, they’re the best and most capable team Europe ever fostered, and they’ve only just begun. Watching them play is an absolute treat, and we can’t wait to see them clash against Fnatic in a Best of 5 format next week. They’re predicted to defend their throne with relative ease, but who knows — maybe they’ll get challenged along the way? Maybe we won’t get yet another seventy-two-minute shellacking and call it a final.

Either way, we’re all aboard the G2 hype train. There’s just no alternative right now.

Second — Fnatic (14W-4L)

At second place we have Fnatic. Now, this is a confusing one. On one hand, they’re the second-best team in the region. They’ve proved it by their actions, and their stellar performance against Splyce last week. When push comes to shove, Fnatic is always on the mark. They’re a spectacular roster and they still haven’t even scratched the surface.

There’s much more potential within their five-man line-up, but they still need more time before realizing it.

That said, they’re only dangerous and potent when they lock down their comfort picks. If a team manages to push them out of their comfort zone (and that starts off in the pick and ban phase), they’re noticeably less capable and far more reactive.

How this inherent flaw (which could, in theory, be fixed in a couple of week’s time) will affect their performance going forward remains to be seen, but there’s not a challenger in sight (other than G2 Esports) that should be able to tango with the former “kings of Europe.” If they shore up a couple of glaring weaknesses and get on the same page, they should be more than capable of finishing second once all is said and done.

Third — Splyce (12W-6L)

Next up in our LEC Summer Split week 9 recap, we have Splyce. Now, much like Fnatic, they’re a mixed bag. When they’re good, they’re spectacular. We’ve seen their immense highs but also their confusing lows and moments of absolute mediocrity. That’s Splyce in a nutshell, and that’s also one of their defining characteristics. Always has been.

They were unable to finish the regular portion of the split with much hype (seeing how they lost to both Fnatic and Misfits Gaming), and it feels like their recent two/three-week resurgence was nothing more than just a flash of brilliance.

They’re capable and highly dangerous, but they’re also rough around the edges and are at least slightly less capable than most people thought just weeks ago. That said, they’re one of the best teams that Europe has to offer, and they’re favored to lock down a ticket for the World Championship.

Then again, if they don’t step up and get back to their winning ways this might be yet another crushing season for the organization.

Fourth — Schalke 04 (11W-7L)

After getting demolished by Rogue just a week earlier, the Schalke boys were able to rebound in rather spectacular fashion and end the last week of regular season play with a perfect 2-0. The fact that they took down G2 Esports (who did troll, to be fair) and Team Vitality only adds to their momentum coming into the playoffs.

They’re an inconsistent bunch, but they’re extremely fun to watch and they have the necessary skills in order to throw down with anyone in the region. They might not win, but they’re going to put up a big fight regardless. How high they will eventually climb remains to be seen, but they shouldn’t have too big of a problem in taking Vitality down once against in a Best of 5 format.

Perhaps most importantly, they’re all stepping up on an individual level in the nick of time. There’s no dead weight on their line-up and they’re playing better and better as a five-man unit as the weeks go by. Most of their players have a chip on their shoulder and want some sort of redemption for a prior failure. Because of this, you can expect an aggressive, in sync Schalke this week. They have their eyes set on the semifinals and they know it is a goal within their reach.

Fifth — Rogue (7W-11L)

At number five we have the unlikeliest of challengers — Rogue. Now, coming into the Summer Split, no one gave this ragtag group of solo queue stars (and some old, veteran faces) much thought. And with good reason, for there were too many stacked rosters that showed far more potential.

But as time went on, this Rogue line-up not only improved leaps and bounds but also locked down a unique identity for themselves. Over the last few weeks, they’ve beaten SK Gaming, they’ve beaten Schalke 04, Origen, as well as Team Vitality. They’re an actual contender, and while they might not look the part, they have the right tools in order to throw down with anyone ranked above them.

Perhaps most importantly, they’re fearless. They have no pressure to perform and yet they have ample mechanical prowess and a good enough grasp of the meta in order to stand a chance, regardless of their opponent. Watching them play is an absolute joy and while they’re never perfect in execution, there’s a lot to like whenever they step foot on stage.

Their jungler Kacper “Inspired” Słoma and mid laner Emil “Larssen” Larsson have been doing a ton of heavy lifting and are the reason Rogue wins often. They’re a force to be reckoned with and are one of the better jungle-mid duos in the region. As a team, however, they’re still uneven and at times out of sync, but the fact that they’ve managed to leapfrog the likes of SK Gaming, Origen, and even Team Vitality is downright spectacular.

If they embrace the underdog mentality, they should be able to compete with Splyce this Friday. Heck, they even stand a chance of winning. Surprises like this one is just one of the many reasons why we love watching European League of Legends — unexpected twists and turns are always present and make sure things never become stale.

Sixth — Team Vitality (8W-11L)

Finally, to round out the playoffs, we have Team Vitality. Not exactly the hypest of facts, that’s for sure. We’re all aware of their history along with their respectable accomplishments, but it feels like eons have passed since their last great performance. It feels like the squeak by often, and that’s just not what you want to see from a playoff team.

To make matters even worse, they went from being one of the craziest and most aggressive teams in the region to one of the most passive, reactive and scared ones. The fact that they’re making egregious errors (both individually as well as a team) only makes matters worse. There’s just no hype or momentum behind them right now, and they know it. They’re trying to get back some of their long-lost mojo, but it seems like they’re out of time.

They might be able to step up and compete this week against Schalke 04, but don’t bet your money on it happening.

Out of the Playoffs — SK Gaming (7W-12L), Origen (7W-11L), Misfits Gaming (6W-12L), Excel Esports (4W-14L)

Lastly, we have four teams that have, for one reason or another, failed to leave a mark. Some of them did better than others, but once all was said and done, they ended up disappointing in more ways than one. Seeing SK Gaming and Origen out of the playoffs is perhaps the biggest letdown, seeing how they’ve had more than just a few flashes of brilliance. But in the end, they were unable to step up when it mattered the most, and their huge dips in performance eventually ended up costing them dearly.

While Origen will still have a chance to make something of their 2019 season in the upcoming regional qualifier, they’re not entering the gauntlet as the favorites. Not even close. How they ended up going from second place in Spring to bottom four in Summer will remain an unsolvable mystery. This fact alone goes to show just how insanely competitive the region became after franchising. Regardless, there’s a lot of potential within all four line-ups and they should be able to prosper once the 2020 Spring Split comes around.

That’s it for our 2019 LEC Summer Split week 9 recap! Tune in this Friday and Saturday on Twitch or YouTube to see who’ll get to challenge G2 Esports and Fnatic in two weeks’ time. If everything goes “according to plan,” we should be in for one heck of a conclusion!