MSI Preview: Can G2 Esports’ young guns carry their elders?

The sole League of Legends European Championship (LEC) representative to win the Mid-Season Invitational, G2 Esports, is back on the international stage. Many in the community doomed them to fail, but they surprised them and lifted the LEC trophy. Now, they must prove themselves on the international stage. 

G2 is a perfectly rounded team with veterans, experienced players and rookies who are hungry for success. Speaking of experience, Caps and Jankos won MSI in 2019, and they might repeat the feat. 

Source: Leaguepedia

Path to the Mid-Season Invitational 

G2 Esports had one of the most extraordinary paths to the Mid-Season Invitational as they ran—rather, crushed—the lower bracket gauntlet. Despite struggling at the start of the playoffs with a 3-1 loss to Fnatic, G2 went Super-Saiyan and swept their opponents, including finalists Rogue 3-0. No one could stand in their way. 

The new pieces in the team aligned with G2’s in-game vision and crucially contributed to another LEC title, another addition to Carlos “ocelote” Rodriguez Santiago’s trophy cabinet. The regular season was all about team development, leading to a timely “power spike” in the playoffs. Whether this power spike will remain at its peak for MSI, we will wait and see. 

Player to watch: jungler Marcin “Jankos” Jankowski 

Amid the crazy talent level that the team offers, Jankos stands tall as the leader and engine of the team. 

G2’s recipe for dominance was Jankos’ great synergy with his solo laners, Sergen “Broken Blade” Celik and Rasmus “Caps” Winther. As they adapted and progressed throughout the playoffs, G2 found its winning formula. 

Caps’ rebirth in the playoffs was a key factor in G2’s playoff rise, as we saw glimpses of peak Claps. And as Broken Blade transitioned from strong-side carries (in the regular season) to tanks successfully, G2 could only count its blessings. 

With all pieces aligning, G2 Esports can be scary and unpredictable. However, they will need more than that to defeat heavy favorites T1. Good news: Sejuani is getting buffed, and you know what to do with that, Jankos. 

Jaxon’s Prediction: Semifinals 

At worst, G2 will reach the semifinals of the Mid-Season Invitational. Let’s see if they can get through the hardest opponent in the competition: Saigon Buffalo, their kryptonite since 2019.