The League of Legends World Championship quarterfinals begin tomorrow, starting with the match between Invictus Gaming and Griffin. Even though we have already laid out our predictions, there are some things that could definitely affect the outcome of these matches. Certain situations that could give a team the edge over other teams. Let’s stop guessing and consider three hot takes going into this year’s Worlds Knockout Stage!
Home turf advantage will give European teams the edge
This year’s Worlds will take place entirely in Europe. The group stages were already played in Berlin, and the remainder of the tournament will be played in Spain and France. Berlin’s crowd already showed how impactful they can be, as on their wings, all three LEC teams advanced from groups. However, the quarter and semifinals will be played in Spain. Based on past experience, we can safely say Spain has some of the craziest League of Legends fans out there. Furthermore, the finals will be played in Paris, France. Remember the 2017 Summer Finals? The craziest, most passionate fans cheering for their teams? That is exactly what this year’s finals will be. It has been eight years since Europe won Worlds. And with this year’s Worlds happening in Europe, the crazy French crowd, and fantastic teams, this is the year Europe wins it again!
Griffin will be the tournament’s dark horse
If we dial it down a bit, the LCK is currently the favorite region to win the whole tournament. However, everybody is talking about SKT T1, their domination in groups, and a reincarnation of their dynasty. Do you know what I have to say about that? SKT T1 won’t even make it to the finals. With Griffin having a much easier side of the bracket, I wouldn’t be surprised if they made it to the finals. And by the way they dismantled G2 Esports in groups, I wouldn’t be surprised if they won the whole tournament. It would be an epic conclusion to their glory road, from Korean challenger series to world champions! And yes, I know they are missing an LCK championship, but who cares when you are a world champion — am I right?
Splyce will upset SKT T1 in the quarterfinals
Yes, you have read that correctly. Even though SKT T1 looked monstrous in the group stage, we still think Splyce could take them down in quarters. If history has taught us anything, it’s that the favorites often fall in high-pressure situations. Just take a look at Worlds 2017. A heavily-favored SKT T1 played against the European underdog Misfits Gaming. In a match that should have ended in three games, Misfits gave SKT a run for their money. The series saw five close games, and you can be very confident that SKT were sweating throughout all of them. Well, I think the same could happen this Sunday in their match against Splyce.
Do you agree or disagree with any of our hot takes? Let us know in the comments!
You can catch the League of Legends Worlds Quarterfinals live tomorrow on Youtube.
