Splyce vs Unicorns of Love

For our final Best of 5 we have an incredibly exciting clash between LEC's third seed Splyce, and a former LEC participant -- now LCL champions -- Unicorns of Love. Talk about a redemption story! The Unicorns competed in Europe for many years and yet success always eluded them. They were always a dark horse (no pun intended), and stayed near the top of the region, but were perpetually unable to unshackle themselves of their inherent gatekeeper status.

The fact that they had so many likable players and an incredibly exciting playstyle (their patented unrelenting aggression and spectacular team fighting in the late game) made their subsequent failures that much harder to swallow. Once franchising kicked in, the Unicorns didn't stand a chance seeing how they were primarily a family-run organization. They had no fancy bells and whistles, no jaw-drapping sponsors or sleek jerseys.

"Just" a whole lot of heart.

But they didn't surrender. Instead, they moved over to the LCL and started dominating. Just the thought of the Unicorns being a champion of a region baffles the mind. They actually pulled it off, albeit in different circumstances than most expected. But that one fact doesn't diminish their success. Not in the slightest.

And now they're trying to go a step further by reaching the Worlds Group Stage. Not an unrealistic dream, but also not the easiest one to realize either.

Opposite them, stands a mighty European challenger. This is Splyce's second showing in the World Championship (the first one being in 2016) and if things pan out as expected, it should be the more successful one as well. While their play in Spring left a lot to be desired, Splyce went into overdrive and definitely turned a couple of heads in Summer. In fact, they fought with Fnatic for the second seed in the standings, and they definitely have all the right tools in their arsenal to make a solid run at Worlds.

Their play so far wasn't perfect, but they definitely proved (on more than one occasion) that they're at a whole 'nother level when compared to many other Play-In Stage teams -- as was expected. They're a versatile team that improved leaps and bounds in the span of just a couple of months. The fact that they reached Worlds is a seismic triumph, considering just how competitive of a region Europe is. They weren't favored much, but they fought tooth and nail and -- along with a stellar coaching staff -- made their 2019 season count.

Now they're up against a very fascinating challenger. In many ways, these two teams are quite similar, but also entirely different. Although Splyce supposedly have the edge, the Unicorns have quite a big chance of making this into one insanely competitive Best of 5 series. They're not predicted to ultimately win, but they should be able to throw down game after game, and perhaps even get a win or two.

In the end, we have to side with Splyce. It's the only decision that makes sense at this point. They fought so hard throughout the year against the very best teams in the world, and they persevered and emerged victorious more often than not. Their mental fortitude and resilience are spectacular, and their incredible coaching staff came through on more than one occasion. They might not be perfect, but when they get on the same page they can tango with the very best the world of competitive League has to offer.

The Unicorns won't go down without a fight, however, which means this is one Best of 5 you really shouldn't miss.