G2 Esports vs MAD Lions – Clash of Titans in the LEC Winter 2024 Grand Final

Here’s our preview of the LEC Winter split Grand Final, as G2 Esports vs MAD Lions ends an exciting split.

The pride marches into their first final match of the season against the Kings of Europe — G2 Esports.

MAD Lions has had a spectacular run at Playoffs this Winter season. Beating out expectations, the mostly rookie team has grown so much from its first appearance on-stage.

Their back-to-back wins have earned them a date with G2 Esports, the strongest team in their region. The final showdown for the LEC Winter 2024 trophy is about to begin. Can MDK finish strong against the LEC’s poster boys for their first split win?

THE 2024 #LEC WINTER FINAL:@G2LEAGUE VS @MADLIONSKOI_EN! pic.twitter.com/zROdhau9Le

— LEC (@LEC) February 17, 2024

MAD Lions vs G2 Esports Prediction: Kings vs Upstarts
Can MAD’s raw talent win out against the German exemplars in the LEC?

Who Is Expected to Win?
G2 Esports is expected to win the Winter Split. There’s always a chance for an upset, but The Kings of Europe have stood their ground against more seasoned opponents.

Even when Fnatic — their oldest rival in the LEC — was climbing the standings in the Season Final playoffs, the boys in black had no issues ending their winstreak and winning the competition.

Their form is consistent and has stayed strong throughout this split as well. After finishing #1 in the Winter Season, they’ve remained largely unscathed in the upper bracket. With their El Classico rivalry with FNC a thing of the past, G2’s all-star roster now reigns supreme.

They might have fallen to the MAD Lions last Spring, but that was in different circumstances. G2 Esports remains the safest team to bet on this split.

A Class of Their Own
It’s hard to not go all-in on BrokenBlade, Yike, Caps, Hans Sama and Mikyx when they were the team that won 3/4 splits last season. Here is a team that has been lauded time and time again for their intelligent plays and ever-adapting playstyle. Like a well-oiled machine, they duke opponents into reaching too far before going in for the kill. Caps didn’t get the nickname “baby Faker” in his rookie year for nothing.

The G2 logo also made a showing in every international tournament last year. After reaching 5th place in MSI 2023, the team went on to win the LEC Season Finals, secure their spot for Worlds and finished in the top 10.

Head-To-Head
MAD Lions vs G2 Esports has previously been contested 7 times since last year. G2 Esports won 5 of those games.

G2 Esports vs MAD Lions: Best Betting Odds
After keeping track of the stats, the odds for a G2 win are as high as ever. Here are the best bets you can make for G2 Esports vs MAD Lions.

G2 Esports win: The odds for a G2 Esports win are as high as ever. Decimal odds favor MDK 5.08 to 1.18 due to their recent winning streak in the playoffs,  but G2 has never lost a split against a rookie team.
G2 Esports First Blood: MDK will surely make moves in the early game to get a headstart, but G2 will force their opponent to make mistakes. G2 committing blunders in the laning phase is very unlikely, so first blood will be owed to the Kings.
MAD Lions First Tower: First tower will likely fall to MDK. The Spanish team will probably focus on objective leads and plates instead of forcing fights against a superior opponent. That said, G2’s botlane duo is stronger by far, and could make moves in the midgame.

MAD Lions vs G2 Esports Preview
You’ve heard our predictions and betting odds for MAD Lions vs G2 Esports this Sunday, now let’s look into how both LEC teams have performed this split — and what will dictate their possible victory.

Previous Standings
MAD Lion’s entrance in the Winter Season was riddled with criticism concerning the roster’s overhaul, but that didn’t stop them from finding wins wherever they could. And despite falling to more proven teams, MDK qualified for playoffs in the top 4.

After Fnatic sent them to the loser’s bracket, Elyoya’s squad quickly restrategized and removed two teams in the lower bracket. Afterwards, they came out on top in their revenge bo5 against Fnatic, cleared any doubts about the rookie roster, and defeated an Adam-less Team BDS.

G2 Esports on the other hand had a smoother journey to the top. After sharing the top spot with BDS, Caps and co. won each of their playoffs series with a commanding lead.

The Kings of Europe closed all of their bo3’s dominantly. A perfect 2-0 against GIANTX and a 2-1 circuit against Fnatic secured their place in the upper best-of-five semifinals against BDS — where they won a flawless 3-0.

Key Players to Watch

BrokenBlade: The linchpin for G2, his versatility and clutch plays can turn the tide
Yike: MAD Lions’ rising star, known for explosive engagements and calculated risks
Caps: G2’s star mid-laner with a penchant for game-changing moves
Hans Sama: The ADC who can single-handedly carry his team to victory
Mikyx: The support mastermind, orchestrating plays behind the scenes

LEC Winter 2024 Rosters
G2 Esports:

Toplaner: Sergen “BrokenBlade” Celik
Jungler: Martin “Yike” Sundelin
Midlaner: Rasmus “Caps” Winther
Botlaner: Steven “Hans sama” Liv
Support: Mihael “Mikyx” Mehle

MAD Lions:

Toplaner: Alex “Myrwn” Villarejo
Jungler: Javier “Jungler” Batalla
Midlaner: Bartłomiej “Fresskowy” Przewoźnik
Botlaner: David “Supa” García
Support: Álvaro “Alvaro” del Amo

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Paul started writing game guides and match predictions for ESTNN’s editorial team in 2022. Since then, he’s covered big-ticket esports events and the latest news on tech and AI.