Fnatic vs SK Gaming

We are just days away from the first LEC game of the regular season, and it's a highly anticipated one, but probably not for the reasons you'd expect.

The opening match will be a clash between the perennial European titans - Fnatic, and an organization that we haven't really seen in quite a long while, at least not in the League of Legends realm. After getting relegated in 2015, SK Gaming were no longer a part of the League ecosystem. But after three years of waiting on the sidelines, they've re-emerged as a part of the ten LEC permanent partners.

As for Fnatic, they're entering 2019 with a slightly tweaked roster. While just a single roster change isn't earth-shattering per se, they did lose one of their key performers in Rasmus "Caps" Winther. He was integral to their success throughout 2018, and was able to clutch things out when it mattered the most. While his play at the World Championship did leave a lot to be desired, he is a known quantity and one of the best mid laners in the entire world. And you could argue that he hasn't even hit his peak yet.

They did retain the rest of their Worlds final roster, and that's a fantastic thing for anyone sporting a Fnatic jersey. They already have some of the best players in the region, and their synergy shouldn't take too big of a hit come Spring Split. The fact that they've already played together for so long will allow their up-and-coming mid laner to grow and develop without immense pressure.

Speaking of the new rookie, this match is so exciting mainly because we'll get a first look at former Mad Lions E.C. mid laner Tim "Nemesis" Lipovšek in action. The stakes aren't particularly high, and it's not like he'll have to blow everyone's mind, but being the next Fnatic mid laner carries a lot of weight. The void left by Caps is huge one, and it's going to be hard for anyone to fill it, let alone a guy that's at the beginning of his career.

But Fnatic has this knack for finding incredible young players with a ton of potential, and then grooming them in order to become the superstars of tomorrow. Nemesis already displayed many of the virtues that Fnatic need throughout his tenure with MAD Lions, and with time, he will surely become a force to be reckoned with. With the best bottom lane in the region, an absurdly underrated jungler that's been at the top of the region for the last two years, and a stellar top laner in Bwipo, Nemesis is poised to make a great LEC run.

But what about SK Gaming's starting line-up? Well, in short, they have some potential. They definitely won't be competing for a spot in the Spring final, or perhaps even the playoffs, but they could become a somewhat dangerous team in due time. They're heavily underestimated, and if they play up to their underdog status they could surprise a lot of people. Werlyb, Selfmade, and Crownshot carry over a ton of pre-existing synergy from their MAD Lions E.C. days, and this cohesion could help them out in the early stages of the Spring Split.

While that probably won't be enough against a titan like Fnatic, it should give them a solid chance at making this a somewhat competitive game.

Even though they're deemed as a heavy underdog, SK has a puncher's chance. In a Best of 1 format, anything can happen, and if they come prepared they could give Fnatic a run for their money, at the very least.

Regardless, we're going with the "kings of Europe" on this one and with full confidence. They were simply too strong for too long not to be given the benefit of the doubt. While they might not look too dominant, they should be back to their 2018 form sooner rather than later.