FC Schalke 04 vs Rogue

Rogue vs. Schalke 04 isn't exactly a mouth-watering clash of titans, but it's not half-bad either! In fact, it's probably going to deliver in every sense of the word, despite looking like a one-sided beatdown in the making! Now, let's not build any unnecessary suspense here: Rogue are heavily favored and there's a good reason why. Simply put, they're one of the best-performing teams in Europe right now, and they have all the right tools to go deep and actually leave a mark in the 2021 Spring Split. In fact, they're stupendously good which, in a way, does make sense. They've made two intelligent roster changes and have kept their oh-so-talented three-man core. Success, therefore, was all but guaranteed.

But it's still somewhat surprising to see them *this* good, *this* early on. There's no "feeling out" process whatsoever — they just started dominating right from the very get-go. And that's commendable, to say the least. With a seasoned veteran in the top lane and a surprisingly talented "rookie" support, they're well-equipped for the monumental task at hand: challenging G2 Esports for the LEC throne. Of course, no one's expecting them to actually win agains the defending LEC champions, but hey — if they continue playing at such a staggeringly high level, they'll certainly make things mighty competitive.

There's just nothing to fault them for and nothing to criticize at this point in time. That might change in a month or two, but right now, as things stand, they're like a bulldozer going through any obstacle. And it's quite a sight to behold, frankly.

Opposite them, we have none other than Schalke 04. Their week one performances were, for a lack of a better term, dreadful. But credit where credit is due: they've stepped up big time in week two and are riding a huge momentum wave after becoming the first team to beat G2 Esports in 2021, and they did so fair and square: by being the better team on the day. And, of course, no one saw it coming. Whether it was a fluke win or not is irrelevant at this point in time; what matters most is that they got the job done. A win is a win, and a triumph over the defending champs goes a long way these days, especially given G2's pedigree and long list of accomplishments. At the very least, it's indicative of Schalke's long-term potential. Of course, no one's expecting them to leave much of a mark once all is said and done, but they definitely pack a punch.

Will they be able to recreate a bit of that magic and take down Rogue as well? The odds aren't on their side (to say the least), but they'll surely try nonetheless. They're a feisty bunch and that's commendable, to say the least. They're also quite talented, despite having a couple of inherent flaws — most of which can easily be exploited given the right preparation. That's why we're going with Rogue on this one. They haven't shown any obvious weakness thus far, and even though they're far from perfect, Schalke 04 probably isn't going to be the team that takes them down. They don't have the right tools for the job, frankly, and while they'll certainly make this into a highly competitive affair, they shouldn't be able to emerge victorious once all is said and done.