The MSI Play-In stage is nearly finished. Not long ago, Riot Games shared a video of Faker's statement, in which he challenged all players: "I aim to be the greatest ever and claim your spot through ability." Come on, hasn't he been the GOAT for ages? Is it really necessary to say "claim"? Even if League of Legends thrives for another ten or twenty years, no one can surpass Faker as the top figure in the game.

Additionally, Faker declared in an interview with Vietnamese media that his team is already studying BLG. He stated: "With the wins from yesterday and today, I think our chances of advancing to the main event are high. We need to thoroughly prepare and analyze the remaining two teams in the Play-In stage. No matter who makes it to the finals, they can't beat T1." The knockout stage starts on July 3rd, so it's perfectly reasonable to start studying BLG now.

Nofe posts support for BLG

Nofe, former head coach of WBG and current LCK co-streamer, recently announced that he will be casting the MSI knockout stage. Nofe stated: "I'll support LCK teams, but if they face LPL teams, I'll root for LPL throughout the match, especially BLG." The implication is clear: when T1 plays BLG, Nofe will cheer for BLG. He made this statement in a public post, which immediately sparked widespread discussion.

An LCK co-streamer supporting BLG is indeed unusual, but Nofe has a compelling reason: his opportunity to co-stream MSI was given by BLG. Moreover, BLG also sponsored his team jersey. Simply put, Nofe is now the LPL equivalent of Sask—his stream relies on LPL traffic. Of course, this might just be a facade; as a Korean coach, he likely still supports T1 in his heart.

LPL announces third split format

After the Mid-Season Invitational concludes, all major regions will begin their new splits. Recently, LPL officials announced the format for the third split. The group stage will remain a BO3 double round-robin, similar to last year, with no major adjustments. The split starts on July 22nd. The biggest change this time is that all matches in a given week will be held at a single venue, so players won't have to travel for every game.

The formats for the "Knight's Path" and playoffs have not yet been revealed. Earlier, a leaker suggested that the top two from the "Nirvana Group" and the bottom two from the "Summit Group" would enter the playoffs, with the latter directly entering the losers' bracket. Meanwhile, the top two from the "Summit Group" would skip to the second round of playoffs, and teams ranked 3rd to 6th would start in the first round. It's unclear if this leak is accurate, but if implemented, it would shorten the schedule.

Soboro reportedly joins FNC

During the IG second split transfer period, the team officially announced the departure of both top laners, Breathe and Soboro. Breathe recently had contact with LGD, but it's uncertain if a deal will be reached. Personally, I think Breathe is inferior to the young foreign player; if LGD actually signs him, it would be a downgrade. Soboro has already found a new team. Foreign media recently reported that former IG top laner Soboro will transfer to FNC for the summer split.

During this transfer period, FNC considered T1's academy top laner Guardian (ranked 14th in Korean solo queue with 2520 LP). However, after exploring options across various regions, FNC ultimately decided to sign Soboro. Foreign media suggest that FNC hopes Soboro can take on more diverse roles rather than just being a pressure absorber. Based on his performance over two splits, Soboro seems to be declining, so it's unlikely he'll achieve much in Europe.

Conclusion:

If the group stage is just a double round-robin, the third split's matches won't be very exciting. Teams like LGD, EDG, and TT will lower the quality of the "Summit Group," while the "Nirvana Group," featuring IG and WBG, might actually be more interesting. However, with only six matches total—possibly just one per week—it won't be nearly enough to satisfy viewers.

So, what do you think the odds are between BLG and T1?

Feel free to leave a comment and discuss!