MAD Lions vs Fnatic: Neither of These Teams Has Had the Best of Seasons

• MAD Lions and Fnatic will attempt to make it to round 2 of Group A this Saturday. The winner of the match will face Astralis. 

• Fnatic lost 2-1 to Astralis in Round 1 of the group stages. A win against MAD Lions will provide them with a second chance. 

• MAD Lions were disappointing in their 2-0 loss to Team Vitality in round 1. They go into this match as the clear underdogs.

MAD Lions vs Fnatic Pick

Pick:  Fnatic to win.  

MAD Lions vs Fnatic Predictions

Neither of these teams has had the best of seasons based on their reputation. Fnatic are one of the iconic LoL esports teams; they dominated the LEC in the early years but have dropped down a level or two in the last 12 months. On the other hand, MAD Lions were one of the strongest LEC sides just a few months ago but needed to play a tiebreaker against Team Heretics to qualify for the Spring Group Stages. 

Fnatic ended the league season in sixth place on the league table and performed better in their first group match, so everything suggests that they will win this match. They also beat MAD Lions in the league season match, so it’s best to go for the safe bet in this tie. 

MAD Lions Have Had a Season to Forget 

MAD Lions’ nightmare season looks set to end this week. Almost nothing suggests they will get the better of Fnatic on Sunday. They won just three games in the regular season, which is a big surprise considering they were finalists just last winter.  MAD Lions’ only positive this season was the win over Astralis, who ended the league in second place. 

They have been extremely vulnerable defensively all season and have yet to find a solution. No player on the roster has managed under 2.63 deaths, which is quite staggering for a team expected to challenge for top honors this Spring. Besides the bot laner Carzzy, no one in the team has looked good in the killing department. His average of 4.03 is satisfactory but not enough for a side whose other members have struggled all season. 

Support player Hylissang, especially, has underwhelmed this season. His 8.16 assists per game don’t make up for the 3.92 deaths. His teammates, of course, also have to take some of the blame for not protecting him well enough. 

They were no match for Team Vitality in the last game, losing 2-0 on the day. They also lost their only match to Fnatic, who haven’t been in great form themselves in the league season. MAD Lions’ record prior to this season might tempt a few bettors to take a punt on them, but things can change very quickly in the LEC, and things have changed for the worse as far as MAD Lions are concerned this season. It’s best to gamble on some other team. 

Fnatic Have a Great Opportunity to Get Back to the Top 

Fnatic have shown little glimmers of recovery this season, which isn’t enough for a team of their status, but enough to state that they’re the firm favorites this weekend against MAD Lions. They won four matches in the league this season, including one against their upcoming opponents. 

They were quite comfortable in the match against MAD Lions, but they shouldn’t take any team lightly. The team still lacks a real attacking threat, with no one averaging more than 3.33 kills per game this season. Fnatic’s Jungler Razzork has been really vulnerable this year, with 4.11 deaths per game, and MAD Lions will certainly target him. 

Fnatic have looked much better since Advienne and Oscarinin joined the side. Rhuckz had to make way for them by heading to the academy roster, and Wunder’s playtime has been reduced since. When Rhuckz and Wunder were on the side, the team had a win percentage of just 22.2%, but this has increased to 44.4% since Advienne and Oscarinin’s arrival. The win rate isn’t good enough for a team of Fnatic’s stature, but it’s a step in the right direction. Razzork’s days also look numbered, but the team looks solid enough to get the better of MAD Lions on Saturday. 

Bot Laner Rekkles’ form has been another positive this season. Unlike the MAD Lions players, he is excellent in the defensive department. He averages just two deaths per game, and that average would’ve looked much better if Advienne and Wunder had joined the team a bit earlier. He has also managed 3.17 assists and 4.39 assists per game this year. Fnatic need to hold onto him if they want to be a top side once again. 

Fnatic should win this tie if they can keep MAD Lions’ Carzzy quiet. They came quite close to beating Astralis in the previous round; winning this match will allow them to get revenge. 

How to Watch MAD Lions vs Fnatic

• Teams: MAD Lions vs Fnatic

• Location: Europe

• Time: Saturday, April 15, 2023

• How to watch: Twitch