The EMEA Masters Spring 2025 kicked off this Tuesday, with thirty-two teams vying to succeed Los Ratones, champions of last spring’s edition. Following each team’s opening match — providing a first glimpse into the balance of power among the ERLs — Sheep Esports presents its ranking of the top ten teams competing in this year’s tournament.

1. BK ROG Esports (1.71)

BK ROG Esports entered the EMEA Masters in imperious form. Not initially regarded as the frontrunner of the LFL due to an underwhelming Winter Split finish (5th–6th), and following a brief adjustment period to integrate new AD Carry Théo "Booshi" Mouchiroud, the team transformed into a formidable force at the outset of the second split’s playoffs. BKR mounted a full lower bracket run, dispatching Ici Japon Corp — reigning LFL champions and EMEA Masters Winter finalists — with a clean 3-0 sweep, before repeating the same scoreline against Vitality.Bee.

Thanks in large part to a stratospheric Šimon "OMON" Říháček, BKR went on to eliminate Gentle Mates in the lower bracket final, before holding off Karmine Corp Blue and winning the grand final in five games (3-2). Riding this momentum, the LFL's first seed began their EMEA Masters campaign with a convincing victory over For The Win eSports — even under specific circumstances. Given the team’s current level of performance, few opponents will be eager to face BKR early in the tournament. Perhaps only Los Ratones, the reigning champions, could welcome such a matchup — a team to whom Sheep Esports also considered awarding the top spot...

2. Los Ratones (2.00)

The reigning Winter Split champions are entering the competition with understandably high expectations. Marc "Caedrel" Lamont's team has, after all, claimed three titles from the three tournaments they've played since the start of the year. It's important to keep in mind that, although the NLC isn't typically seen as a particularly dangerous league, this roster has the experience, potential, and momentum to make another deep run in this edition of the Spring Split.

In their league, they've suffered just one loss since the beginning of the year — against NORD Esports (2-0 in the playoffs) — before returning to their dominant form, winning all four of their lower bracket matches with clean 3-0 sweeps. Martin "Rekkles" Larsson’s team is the main threat to the top dogs of the LFL and will bring many advantages to the table thanks to their massive champion pool. The first example that comes to mind is Simon "Baus" Hofverberg, who regularly receives multiple bans targeting his key champions like Sion or Cho'Gath. Another is Veljko "Velja" Čamdžić, the MVP of the NLC split final, thanks to strong performances on his carries, such as Naafiri, Pantheon, and Zed.

3. Karmine Corp Blue (2.57)

Last winter, Karmine Corp Blue entered the EMEA Masters under less than ideal circumstances, plagued by ongoing issues surrounding its jungler and hampered by the absence of its starting support. The most decorated team in the tournament’s history (with four titles) had to make do with a temporary stand-in, Ismaïl “ISMA” Boualem, and the LFL2 roster’s support, Emilien "Nsurr" Gergaud. Despite these complications, the Blue Wall still reached the semi-finals of the previous edition. Now fielding a complete roster, KCB once again becomes — assuming it ever ceased to be — one of the strongest contenders for the title.

That said, Karmine Corp Blue’s journey has been far from straightforward. Johnny "Yukino" Dang’s debut in the LFL was challenging, and Kamel “Kameto” Kebir’s squad came dangerously close to missing the Swiss Stage. The team eventually found renewed momentum with the shift to best-of-three matches, where they convincingly defeated Vitality.Bee — leaders of the regular season — and followed up with a solid performance against Galions. KCB made an emphatic statement in the Upper Bracket final with a 3-0 sweep over Gentle Mates, before narrowly falling to BK ROG in a five-game grand final. Several players on the KCB roster could reasonably be considered for LEC promotion, but the one to keep a particularly close eye on is Kim "Piero" Jeong-hoon — undeniably the in-form player of the team.

4. Misa Esports (5.57)

Misa Esports might have lost the TCL finals to BoostGate Esports in a clean 0-3 sweep, but they were undoubtedly the favorites heading into the match. This upset doesn’t fully reflect the strength of the roster. Finishing first in the regular season and defeating BGT earlier in the Upper Bracket (3-2), Misa Esports made a strong impression in the league. While many EU fans will recognize AD Carry Matúš "Neon" Jakubčík, the player we hope you keep an eye on is toplaner Baek "Mihile" Sang-hwi.

With a highly diversified champion pool, Mihile stood out in what was arguably a stacked toplane pool in the TCL—featuring names like İrfan "Armut" Tükek, Kim "Chasy" Dong-hyeon, and Kyeong "Photon" Gyu-tae. He notably recorded the highest gold difference at 15 minutes in the regular season (+547). Whether he can continue "flame horizoning" his opponents, as he did on Jayce in his first EMEA Masters game, remains to be seen. What’s certain, however, is that he's already on the radar of LEC teams

5. BoostGate Esports (6.00)

BoostGate Esports may have nothing left to prove to Misa Esports after their recent TCL title, but they now face the challenge of showing that result wasn’t a one-off. They have every chance to do so. The 21-year-old jungler Enes "XnS" Hansu, MVP of the finals, is a rising talent to watch closely. Interestingly, XnS was the only roster addition following their 5th-place Winter finish, with Tayfun "Typhoon" Gümüş moving to Misa Esports.

The team also fields a well-synergized South Korean duo in Midlaner Kang "Jool" Dong-soo and Support Han "Patch" Seung-min. Amusingly, some joke that BGT are “cheating” by fielding Lim "ToongE" Ho-seon—an AD Carry who, while a UK resident, has competed in various Tier 2 and Tier 3 South Korean teams. Expect a proactive early game from BGT. They were the first to take a turret in 85.7% of regular season games, and 75% in playoffs—a testament to their aggressive tempo.

6. Geekay Esports (6.43)

Geekay Esports took everyone by surprise last year when they reached the Top 4 at EMEA Masters. Since then, the lineup has evolved, though three key players remain: jungler Taha "Elramir" Yurdagüven, midlaner Ahmad "Giyuu" Charif, and support Waleed "Dekap" Mohammed Ismail. For 2025, the addition of highly regarded toplaner Mohamed "Boda" Yahia gave the impression that Geekay had assembled MENA's own version of the Avengers.

They went on to dominate the Arabian League. At the Winter edition of EMEA Masters, however, GK fell to both Papapra Supermassive and Ici Japon Corp, exiting in the quarterfinals. While those were tough opponents, Geekay now need to prove they can reach—and stay at—the top tier of EMEA competition. Their stats are impressive: a perfect 100% win rate in the regular season, 100% first turret rate, and an average +2507 gold lead at 15 minutes. They dropped only a single game in playoffs. Still, the main challenge in evaluating them lies in the relative weakness of their regional competition compared to other ERLs.

7. Barça eSports (6.86)

Barça eSports exorcised its spring demons in style. After being defeated in the finals of the last three Superliga splits by Los Heretics, the Blaugranas finally overcame their long-time nemesis in the lower bracket final before claiming the grand final over GIANTX Pride. The Catalan club arrives not only brimming with confidence but also driven by a desire for further redemption. During the Winter edition of the EMEA Masters, Barça’s run was thwarted by a single team: Geekay Esports. Representing the Arabian League, Geekay defeated the Spanish squad twice in the GSL Group Stage, denying Barça a place in the playoffs.

As the Superliga’s top seed, Barça could reasonably have hoped for a more favourable draw. While the club did land in a group with reigning EMEA Masters champions Los Ratones, it remains well-positioned to secure one of the two playoff spots. The team’s opening match against Axolotl was not flawless, but Barça did what was necessary and now has two opportunities to advance to the next phase. To go further, they will need to ride the momentum that carried them to their domestic title, with a particular reliance on Sergio Vicente "Legolas" Gispert — currently the team’s standout performer and the MVP of both the Spring Split lower bracket final and grand final.

8. GIANTX Pride (7.43)

GIANTX Pride was widely expected to enter the EMEA Masters as the Superliga’s first seed. The LEC academy team had enjoyed a near-flawless Spring Split, dropping just two games in total — and only one series — prior to the grand final. However, GXP faltered at the worst possible moment, falling 1-3 to Barça at the final hurdle. The team had already shown signs of vulnerability against the same opponent in the Winter Split, when they suffered a reverse sweep in a best-of-five they had been poised to close out in Game 3.

On paper, GIANTX Pride fields top-tier ERL talent across all positions. But the player to watch most closely is likely AD Carry Berat "Aetinoth" Tıknazoğlu. The Turkish marksman claimed MVP honours in five of the team’s eight regular-season victories. He, along with the rest of his squad, made a solid start to the tournament against the second seed from the Rift Legends, Fajnie Mieć Skład. Despite dropping the first game, GXP regained their composure to secure the series and move within one win of playoff qualification. If GIANTX Pride can return to their peak form, they could be a formidable force in this edition of the EMEA Masters.

9. Los Heretics (9.71)

Los Heretics return to the EMEA Masters Spring 2025 with a changed status, but not without pedigree. After dominating the Superliga with three consecutive titles, including the Winter 2024 split, they now enter as Spain’s third seed, following an uncharacteristic collapse in the Spring Playoffs. Despite a solid regular season, they fell in two tight series against GIANTX Pride and Barça eSports, forcing them into the lower seeding for this edition.

Still, the organization brings a legacy that demands respect. A three-time Superliga champion and winner of the EMEA Masters in 2022, Heretics remain a serious threat on the European stage. Their roster features standout talent, including Polish top laner Sebastian "Tracyn" Wojtoń, one of the region’s most promising prospects, and Kacper "Daglas" Dagiel, a former LEC jungler whose experience and mechanical prowess add depth to the lineup. While they no longer carry the weight of clear favorites, their pedigree makes them a dangerous dark horse.

10. Gentle Mates (10.00)

It’s hard to predict what kind of form Gentle Mates will be in heading into this tournament. After securing their qualification right out of the Swiss stage in the LFL, they suffered heavy defeats in the playoffs, falling 3-0 to KCB and 3-1 to BKR, never truly giving the impression that they could turn either series around. To be fair, the team had to deal with mitigating circumstances outside of the game, as their practice schedule was disrupted by personal events — something Lanzo "Zicssi" Ciajolo mentioned on X.

They’ll be looking to improve on their sole appearance at the EMEA Masters in Spring 2024, once again led by Jérémy "Eika" Valdenaire, the greatest LFL veteran, who will be determined to prove that their qualification was no fluke and that he can take this project to the next level, as he was the only player to remain with M8 through the 2024–2025 offseason.

Honorable Mentions: CGN Esports (11th - 10.14) // NORD Esports (12th - 10.29)

Both teams, ranked eleventh and twelfth in our voting, came very close to cracking the Top 10. CGN Esports pulled off a surprise run to win the Prime League, defeating Berlin International Gaming in a 3-2 finals thriller. Playing without coaches and with minimal scrim time, the squad was initially viewed as a gathering of German esports personalities. But make no mistake: they are legitimate contenders.

Their only rookie, Midlaner Mike "Phantasm" Thiele, frequently ranks near the top of the solo queue ladder — a feat matched by their veteran jungler Muhammed "Agurin" Kocak, a multiple-time Rank 1 finisher. While their unconventional setup and the broader struggles of the German scene make them difficult to rate higher, CGN might benefit from the momentum and confidence gained from their underdog wins.

That "stream buff" could catch more structured teams off guard. NORD Esports, led by veteran Jungler Marcin "Jankos" Jankowski, narrowly missed the Top 10. The upper end of the rankings is highly competitive, and while NORD has shown flashes of brilliance, their results in the NLC position them a tier or two below teams like Los Ratones. They may lack that extra edge or clutch factor in high-pressure moments. Some of our panelists did rank them in their Top 10, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them prove those voters right. But for now, both NORD and the rest of the NLC still need to demonstrate that their resurgence isn’t just the work of a single standout team.