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We continue to keep an eye on what's happening on the international League of Legends competition scene. Today's focus is on the European region, where the play-offs matches are getting ready for the Long Run.
G2 Esports and GiantX are battling it out for the second round of the top play-offs, aka the semifinals of the top grid. The G2 vs GiantX match will take place on the 15th of February at 20:00 NET.
We're trying to figure out which of the G2 Esports - GiantX pair will be stronger and make it to the next round of play-offs.
Let's go.
G2 Esports uniforms
Let's open the breakdown of the G2 vs GiantX match with an analysis of G2's form. In this match, the Samurai are playing as favourites with odds to win at around 1.2.
At the beginning of the 2023 season, the Samurai made their way to the UK capital to take part in the MSI 2023 by winning the LEC Winter. Then G2 made it to the grand finals without much trouble, also beating MAD Lions quite easily
At LEC Spring 2023, G2 Esports played worse. They entered the play-offs of the tournament from the second match of their group, making it to the bottom of the play-offs. While there, they played against the Lions again, but were unable to repeat the success of the LEC Spring 2023: G2 Esports dropped out of the LEC Spring 2023 playoffs, but made it to the Mid-Season Invitational 2023.
- G2 Esports roster: BrokenBlade, SkewMond, Caps, Hans Sama, Labrov.
Play-In for G2 Esports successful and even easier than BLG's. G2 Esports didn't feel LOUD and easily shut down PSG Talon, beating both clubs 2-0.
Things were no longer as rosy in the Bracket Stage. In the first round, G2 Esports played Gen.G, probably the main contender for the championship title, and managed to take a card from them, which in the realities of today's competitive scene is more than good.
In the bottom set, G2 Esports met their main rival, MAD Lions. The European derby on the international stage ended with a confident victory for G2, confirming them as the best team in the LEC.
At the end of the only international event so far, G2 Esports finished in the top 6. The result is a good one.
Before the LEC Finals, the Samurai took another trophy to their headquarters. It was the trophy for their victory at LEC Summer 2023, where G2 easily defeated EXCEL in the Grand Final.
In the first round of LEC Finals 2023, G2 Esports played against Team BDS. The French gave a fight, but failed to pull more than 1 map.
G2 Esports had no problems first with MAD Lions to advance to the grand finals of LEC Finals 2023, and then in the finals they defeated Fnatic.
In the first match on the main stage of the year, G2 Esports played against Dplus. Being an outsider, the team managed to beat the titular Koreans, all thanks to Hans Sama's crowning Draven. Then they managed to beat not just anyone, but WBG, who subsequently took the top 2.
And then came the miscues, and quite serious ones at that. First they lost to Gen 0-2, then to Ledge or NRG 0-2 (which was a shocker), and finally they dropped out of Worlds 2023 after losing to Bibili Gaming.
G2 Esports will start their journey to LEC Winter 2024 with a match against BDS, one of G2's main rivals on their way to their championship. Expect a solid performance from G2. Next up will be a match against Karmine Corp where it should be easier than the game against BDS. In fact it was, but the match with Rogue was probably the first sensation of last week, because G2 Ledgeili. Well, that's what the Bo1 is for.
During the regular season, LEC Winter 2024 demonstrated a standard game for themselves. G2 Esports won 7 out of 9 matches, sharing the top 1 of the table with BDS.
In the Long Corner play-offs LEC Winter 2024, G2 Esports easily defeated GiantX 2-0. Next, G2 Esports faced Fnatic in the quarter-finals, where the Orange looked good: they were able to pick up a map, but it didn't affect the outcome of the match. Next, G2 Esports met BDS in a match to advance to the grand finals and swatted the Frenchmen 3-0 without a hitch. Almost the same fate awaited MAD Lions KOI in the grand finals, with only one card difference.
G2 Esports attended the Mid-Season Invitational 2024 and showed a very solid result there. They managed to reach the top 4, which is a pretty high result for a team from LEC.
Before the Esports World Cup 2024, G2 Esports guaranteed themselves a place in the play-offs of LEC Summer 2024. At the EWC 2024 itself, G2 Esports Long Sogpeg with a win over FlyQuest, but then Ledgeili TES in advancing to the grand finals.
The LEC Summer 2024 Playoffs started with a pretty solid 2-0 win over Karmine Corp. Next, an equally easy win over BDS and as a result, they made it to the top 3. In the match to reach the grand final of the upper grid of LEC Summer 2024, G2 Esports played against Fnatic, where they lost with a score of 2-3. In the lower grid match, they defeated BDS 3-2 and went on to become LEC Summer 2024 champions by defeating Fnatic in the final.
LEC Season Finals 2024 Long Long started with an unexpected defeat to MAD Lions KOI (2-3). However, that didn't stop G2 from comingback through the bottom set, beating all their opponents and eventually becoming the champions of LEC Season Finals 2024.
Their debut at Worlds 2024 came in a match against paiN Gaming, where G2 was stomped by the combination of Yone + Yasuo. In the next match, against LCK Summer 2024 champions Hanwha Life Esports, taqi fThe Internationals didn't work and G2 lost. But they got into the net 2-1, winning WBG in a pretty confident manner. However, they went on to lose to T1 and BLG, dropping to the Top 12.
The group stage of LEC Winter 2025 went 6-3 and 3 wins. In principle, this is not bad, but remembering the performance of G2 last season, we should expect a completely different and better game in the play-offs.
The most popular G2 Esports champions
Gragas (3 matches, 66% wins) is on the top line.
In the forest, either Belveth (2 matches, 100% wins) or Maokai (2 games, 50% wins) or Gragas (2 matches, 50% wins).
On the centre line variety: Yasuo, Sylass, Cassiopeia, Sejuani and Yone have appeared in spades once each and won their game.
Of the shooters, Draven (3 matches, 66% wins) is playing.
On Support, Nautilus (2 matches, 50% wins), Nami (2 matches, 50% wins).
GiantX Form
We continue our analysis of the GiantX vs G2 Esports match with an analysis of GiantX's form. In this match they play as a clear outsider with odds to win around 6.
The LEC 2024 Winter Split was the debut match for the club, which absorbed the EXCEL slot. Incidentally, GIANTX themselves are the fruit of a merger between British club EXCEL and Spanish club Giants. For the 2025 season, the team procrastinated until the last minute to announce a full squad.
- GiantX roster: Lot, Closer, Jackies, Noah, Jun.
After two crushingly bad splits in the 2023 season, GIANTX changed their forester and replaced Targamas with South Korean legionnaire Peach. The change was a good thing, because there is no other way to explain the miracle-run at LEC Summer 2023.
GIANTX not only finished in the top 3, but also made it to the split grand finals, thus guaranteeing themselves a spot in the LEC Finals. Ledge and Vitality are in the finals, but there is no shame in that, you have to understand.
The achievements of LEC Summer 2023 are at risk of being overturned given the experience of the first match of LEC Finals 2023. In the match against MAD Lions, GIANTX looked more like what we saw during LEC Winter and Spring, but not at the summer split.
In the next match, then EXCEL faced Fnatic. That match was more like something worthwhile and ended in a full-fledged bo5, but in Fnatic's favour. For ex-Excel, LEC Finals 2024 ended with a top-5 finish.
In their first match under the new tag, GIANTX will meet Vitality. I think the Ledge Bees will bee. Next up is The International and the game against BDS. If the French can beat the former, it's hard to believe that they will succeed against BDS.
GiantX barely made it to the play-offs of LEC Winter 2024. They managed to do it only during the last match of the regular season against Rogue. They fell to Vitality in the first round of the main stage, which resulted in a quick 0-2 loss. GIANTX had the same outcome in the lower bracket match, where they fell to MAD Lions, who eventually reached the grand finals.
GiantX finished in 6th place at the LEC Spring 2024 regular season. In the first round of the LEC Spring 2024 Playoffs they played against Fnatic. There everything ended on two maps. And then there was a fight with Mad Lions in the lower grid and lost with the score 1-2.
At LEC Summer 2024 Playoffs GiantX made it to the LEC Summer 2024 Playoffs from the 7th place with the score 3-6. In the first game of the LEC Summer 2024 Playoffs GiantX played against Fnatic, taking the card. The good play from GiantX continued into the next round of playoffs, where the club played against Team Heretics and won 2-1. However, the performance at the LEC Summer 2024 Playoffs ended at the match against BDS, where GiantX Ledgeili won 1-2, thus finishing in the LEC Summer 2024 top 6. Next up was the LEC Finals 2024, where they finished in the Top 6.
The group stage of LEC Winter 2025 ended with GiantX in 6th place with a score of 5-4. Pretty good considering GiantX's overall playing form in the 2025 season.
GIANTX's most popular champions
On the top line the most frequent picks are KSante (4 matches, 50% wins), Gnar (3 matches, 100% wins).
Foresters picks are Wukong (4 matches, 50% wins), Vi (2 matches, 50% wins), Nocturne (2 matches, 50% wins), Viego (2 matches, 0% wins).
On the centre line Gragas (4 matches, 50% wins), Annie (4 matches, 50% wins).
Aphelios (6 matches, 33% wins), Jinx (3 matches, 66% wins), Zeri (2 matches, 100% wins).
The other stable players are Lulu (3 matches, 66% wins), Rakan (3 games, 0% wins), Nautilus (2 matches, 50% wins).
History of head-to-head meetings between GiantX and G2 Esports
Previously, the teams have played each other 5 times. GiantX did not win any of the matches.
Predicted result of G2 Esports vs GiantX at LEC Winter 2025
This match is what G2 needs. Given their uneven play in the group stage, GiantX is the opponent that will allow them to play up to the bigger challenge of Fnatic.
Bottom line: 2-0 win for G2.
Vikings Esports Academy
Saigon DinoWatch match
