LEC Spring 2025 Playoffs: Fnatic and G2 Esports Write a New Page in Europe’s Greatest Rivalry

LEC Spring 2025 Playoffs: Fnatic and G2 Esports Write a New Page in Europe’s Greatest Rivalry

Martin Arévalo-Östberg

22 May, 2025, 17:28

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Last updated: 22 May, 2025, 21:00

In a clash as inevitable as it is iconic, Fnatic and G2 Esports are set to meet once again, this time to kick off the LEC Spring Playoffs. No matter the year, no matter the roster, no matchup in European League of Legends carries more weight, more tension, or more history.

Whether it’s Fnatic’s quest for redemption or G2’s hunger to reclaim their crown, one truth remains: when these two titans clash, the LEC stops to watch. Let's have a look at what's in store for us when these two powerhouses face off this Saturday, May 24th with MSI 2025 qualification on the horizon.

A One-Sided Rivalry... Until Now

G2 Esports has dominated the LEC in recent years, and Fnatic has been their favorite prey throughout. Of G2's last five consecutive LEC trophies, four came through a win over Fnatic in the Grand Finals, demonstrating G2's supremacy in this historic rivalry.

Over the course of the 2025 season, however, Fnatic has started to catch up. Currently, the two teams are tied 3-3 in their head-to-head throughout the year. At the LEC Spring more specifically, though, Fnatic has looked far better than their rivals after finishing in second place during the Regular Season.

After being denied a taste of glory one too many times, this opening match of the LEC Spring Playoffs presents Fnatic with their best shot at revenge in recent years.

Who Can Stop Upset?

Over in the Fnatic bot lane, Upset is coming off of one of the best LEC Regular Season performances in recent memory. The German ADC put up a staggering 13 KDA throughout the entire stage, the highest in the league by a wide margin. Moreover, Upset also finished the Regular Season with the highest number of kills per game out of any player.

Coming into the Spring Playoffs, Upset and the rest of Fnatic will arrive high on confidence. This will be particularly true as they prepare to face a G2 squad that is still building synergy on the Rift after their latest off-season moves.

If Upset can consistently get the better of Hans Sama in their bot lane matchup, Fnatic will look poised to take down G2 once and for all.

Fnatic Upset LEC Spring 2025
Upset has been lights out for Fnatic at the LEC Spring 2025. (Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games)

Adjusting to Fearless Draft

With all playoffs matches being Bo5, Fearless Draft is set to play an important role at the LEC Spring Playoffs. It will be interesting to see whether this proves to be a problem for Fnatic during their opening match of the bracket.

Historically, G2 is a team that haven't shied away from experimenting in the draft. Though Caps may be having an uncharacteristically poor season so far, the greatest Western player of all time has a champion pool the size of the Atlantic Ocean. Likewise, SkewMond and BrokenBlade have shown high proficiency across vastly different champions.

As long as Hans Sama and Labrov's champion pools are not exposed by the Fnatic bot lane, Fearless Draft could well prove to be an advantage for G2 if the series ends up going the distance.

Prediction

There's no denying G2 have Fnatic's number, especially when it comes to the Playoffs. All streaks must come to an end one day, though, and Fnatic will hardly get a better chance than this one.

After looking far more cohesive and methodical in their Regular Season gameplay than they have in years, Fnatic should be able to come out on top in this new chapter in the historic rivalry. We expect G2 to come into the Playoffs looking sharper, as they often do, which would make this an exciting series to watch.

When all is said and done, though, we predict Fnatic to take a 3-1 victory over G2 to kick-start their run at the LEC Spring Playoffs.

 Don't Miss This Banger!

Fnatic vs G2 Esports is a matchup no LEC fan will want to miss. So, make sure you tune in to the official Twitch or YouTube channels for the 2025 LEC Spring Playoffs when this epic rivalry kicks off once more on Saturday, May 24th, at 5 pm CET.

Follow Strafe Esports for all the latest League news and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured image credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games


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