LoL – LFL: Solary and GameWard out, BK ROG and Vitality.Bee advance to Playoffs

We finally know the final playoff bracket for the LFL, while a new title favorite fell this Thursday. Solary suffered a heavy defeat against Vitality.Bee in the second round of the Last Chance Qualifier, abruptly ending their split in 7th-8th place. They bow out alongside GameWard, who fought valiantly before losing 1-2 to BK ROG.

There was a real match between GameWard and BK ROG. The Franciliens managed to upset Joblife in the first round, but couldn’t keep their miracle run alive. After being crushed in the first game, Kim "Zest" Dong-min brought out his vintage toplane Vayne to breathe new life into the series. Mathias "Szygenda" Jensen answered back in game three with his Warwick pick, turning the match into a chaotic and disruptive affair. It was also an opportunity for Enes "Rhilech" Uçan to reach the symbolic milestone of 500 assists in the LFL. The score leaves no room for doubt: BK ROG will now at least match their Flash In performance from earlier this year by securing a top 6 finish. They’re set to play their first best-of-five series of the season.

On the other side, the curse continues for Solary. They fell 0-2 against a simply superior Vitality.Bee squad. Despite having a roster built to contend for the title, a historic top 3 at the Flash In, and an encouraging second-place finish at the end of the spring regular season, the team has been in free fall for two weeks. After losing both of their matches in the Swiss Stage, they immediately dropped into the Last Chance Qualifier, where they were forced to face Vincent "Vetheo" Berrié's Bees, another clear title favorite.

After the match, Solary’s Head of Esports, Romain "Caelan" Albesa, took the time to speak to the organization’s large fanbase in a Space on X. He explained that the team struggled to stay on the same page throughout games, particularly between Nicolas "Decay" Gawron and Mark "Markoon" van Woensel. Moreover, internal frustration has been brewing within the roster, as their strong scrim performances have never translated into official matches, causing tensions that seem difficult to manage. Without making excuses, Caelan said that changes could be on the horizon for Summer, reaffirming that, as always, Solary refuses to aim for anything less than victory, especially considering the resources invested this year.

Playoffs kick off next week. Galions will face Vitality.Bee in an unpredictable series on May 20 at 6 PM. The following day, BK ROG will play their first best-of-five of the year against Ici Japon Corp. In a matchup that promises fireworks, Lee "Hans SamD" Jae-hoon will go up against his former team, aiming to return to the split final, qualify for the EMEA Masters, and continue building his reputation in the ERL scene.

The two big winners of the new Swiss Stage format, Gentle Mates and Karmine Corp Blue—both already qualified for the EMEA Masters and guaranteed a top 3 finish—will clash on May 22 in a BO5 that grants a direct ticket to the split final. This matchup is also wide open and expected to deliver top-tier gameplay, as the two teams have only met once in a BO5 before. That time, the Blue Wall emerged victorious with a 3-1 win in Spring 2024.