The Knockout Stage kicks off this Thursday, with eight teams still in contention. They will battle it out in best-of-five single-elimination matches to determine who will succeed T1, the reigning world champions. The first quarterfinal features an all-LPL showdown between two familiar opponents: LNG Esports and Weibo Gaming, the third and fourth seeds of their league. By the end of the night, only one will remain standing.

Can Weibo beat the Dragon?

LNG Esports is currently the only undefeated team in the tournament, delivering some of the most convincing performances so far. Their adaptability in the draft phase has been particularly impressive, making them one of the standout teams. Additionally, they've had 12 days of practice in the shadows, which could give them a significant edge. It wouldn't be surprising to see them introduce new strategies or surprises in this series.

Weibo Gaming, by contrast, has had a much less convincing run. They narrowly avoided elimination on several occasions, and have shown recurring issues in both their draft decisions and in-game strategy, often giving their opponents opportunities to capitalize. If they repeat those mistakes today, it could prove costly. Despite these challenges, Weibo is seeking a similar journey to last year, where they narrowly qualified with a 3-2 win and faced a familiar team in the knockout stage (BLG in the 2023 semifinals).

Both LNG and Weibo know each other very well, having faced off multiple times this year. Their overall track record stands at 11-8 in favor of LNG. Their two most recent encounters were during the Summer Split Playoffs, where Weibo surprisingly won 3-2, and in the Regional Finals 10 days later, where LNG swiftly took revenge with a dominant 3-0 victory. Given this history, today's match could go either way, especially in the unpredictable nature of LPL matchups. However, LNG enters as the favorite, given their impressive form throughout the tournament.

An intense rivalry

The quarterfinal will bring us yet another clash between two rosters that are very familiar with each other. However, the spotlight is firmly on the midlane matchup. The two veterans, Lee "Scout" Ye-chan and Li "Xiaohu" Yuan-Hao have faced each other 112 times in their careers, since their first matchup, back in 2016. Both stars of their former teams, Scout and Xiaohu have built a unique rivalry over the years. Scout claimed the World Championship with EDG in 2021, while Xiaohu made history as the only player to win the MSI three times (2018, 2021, 2022) with RNG. In early 2023, both midlaners joined their current teams, and now they face off once again after countless battles in the LPL. This matchup carries echoes of the past, as they previously met on the international stage during the quarterfinals of Worlds 2021. In that tense series, Scout triumphed 3-2 and went on to lift the trophy. The question now is whether destiny will repeat itself, or if Xiaohu will rewrite its own story, as he surprisingly made his way to the Worlds Grand Final last year, with Weibo Gaming.

To fulfill his destiny, Scout can rely on the strength of his solid toplaner, Tang "Zika" Hua-Yu, and his incredibly dominant botlane duo, Chen "GALA" Wei and Fu "Hang" Ming-Hang. According to Sheep Stat, these three players currently hold the best statistics in their respective roles, making them a crucial asset to Scout’s quest for victory. On the other hand, Xiaohu will need his team to make another miracle as they have been struggling so far in the tournament against opponents like Gen.G, G2 Esports, and even Fnatic. The series kicks off at 2 PM CET and will decide which team will fly back home.