The IG showdown is imminent, and Meiko made a risky statement, claiming a 50-50 chance against Faker, bringing back painful memories.

Hello to all LPL viewers and League of Legends summoners, this is Tianxia Game Exchange.

The S15 World Championship is approaching rapidly, signaling the upcoming face-off between IG and T1. Meanwhile, the Chinese home site is busily preparing for the play-in stage, and both teams are diligently practicing.

Amidst this, an interview with Meiko successfully drew significant attention.

Meiko’s risky remark: a 50-50 chance against Faker

Here’s what happened: Meiko recently gave an interview where naturally he was asked about the do-or-die match against T1. When questioned about their chances of winning, Meiko stated that the match is evenly matched, with both sides having an equal shot at victory. He expressed confidence but acknowledged that T1 is very strong.

After the interview was made public, many viewers recalled painful memories, bluntly saying Meiko used a dangerous phrase. It’s worth remembering that 12 years ago, Royal’s mid laner White famously said before the finals, “It’s 50-50 between me and Faker; I often solo kill him.”

However, on the finals stage, Royal was swept by SKT and ended up as runner-up. Following that match, Royal was heavily criticized online, spawning the infamous "crash" comment.

White also earned a nickname that stuck throughout his streaming career — “50-50.” What many don’t know is that White also added, “But I think he wasn’t playing seriously, and it was just scrims,” yet this part was largely ignored.

Therefore, after Meiko made a similar comment, fans sensed a hint of danger. In League of Legends, curses and superstitions are common, and saying “50-50” against Faker is considered a taboo.

Meiko discusses the meta: bot lane is crucial

Beyond the “50-50” comment, Meiko shared other views on the current meta. He noted that the current patch emphasizes the importance of bot lane and jungle roles. Coincidentally, TES coach Homme also mentioned in an interview that the jungle and support are key this patch, while mid lane’s influence has declined.

Homme further stated that due to mid lane’s reduced impact, LPL has a better chance overall.

Meiko also revealed an important detail: IG plans to prepare specific strategies targeting Keria, though he did not disclose the exact plans. He additionally mentioned that Oner is performing very well and is a difficult opponent to deal with.

From the meta perspective, IG’s chances seem slimmer because their jungle and support appear disadvantaged compared to T1’s counterparts.

Jungler Wei is not a player who can single-handedly carry games, and support Meiko’s form has fluctuated this year. Judging by IG’s playoff performance, their most relied-upon player is bot laner GALA. IG’s winning strategy mainly depends on GALA’s strong growth and securing victories through mid-to-late game teamfights.

IG’s win depends on T1 underperforming

In my opinion, for IG to win the play-in match, they must hope T1 is off their game, all five IG players perform at their best, and they have a superior understanding of the meta. Only then can they pull off an upset and keep Faker out of the World Championship Swiss stage.

There is a huge gap in team composition and experience between the two squads. Even if IG fights hard and shows their best under the watchful eyes of countless Chinese fans, that alone would be a success. I advise not to hold overly high expectations for this match.

T1 will definitely target GALA’s key teamfight champions during the draft phase, while IG might follow the LPL tradition of focusing on top laner Doran. Regardless of the tactics prepared, T1 has the capability to counter them.

Regarding the LPL region, based on the previous Asian Invitational, it’s clear that the overall strength gap between LPL and LCK is significant. The LCK teams qualifying for Worlds are generally stronger, and no matter the meta, it is harder than ever for LPL to defeat LCK teams.