On March 1, 2025, at 19:00 Eastern European Time, Karmine Corp and Fnatic will face off in the lower bracket of the LEC Winter 2025 playoffs. The series will be played in a Bo5 format, and we offer our prediction for this match.

Current Form of the Teams

Karmine Corp

Karmine Corp has experienced ups and downs on their way to this match. They started the playoffs with confident victories over Team Vitality and KOI, but then suffered a defeat against G2 Esports with a score of 1:3. Their results in the group stage also raised questions – losses to Fnatic and Team BDS show that the team struggles against more stable opponents. A strong point for Karmine Corp is their individual potential – Canna consistently plays well in the top lane, and Yike can create pressure in the jungle. However, the team has issues with macro play and late-game stages, which could be a critical factor against the experienced Fnatic roster.

Fnatic

Fnatic appears more balanced. They confidently started the season with victories over Karmine Corp and SK Gaming, then decisively defeated Team Heretics. Their only serious defeat this season was against G2 Esports, but they managed to recover and win against Team BDS, and then KOI in the playoffs. Fnatic's main strength is their bot lane. Upset and Mikyx are key figures who can create an advantage early in the game. Additionally, Humanoid delivers consistent performances in the mid lane, and Razork skillfully manages the game's tempo in the jungle.

Match Prediction

Despite being the underdog, Karmine Corp can surprise in this series. Their playoff victories over Team Vitality and KOI show that the team has found its game. If Yike can impose the tempo in the jungle and Vladi wins the mid lane against Humanoid, Karmine Corp will have good chances for success. Fnatic, on the other hand, does not always play long series consistently, which could work in favor of the French team.

PREDICTION: Karmine Corp wins 3:2

LEC Winter 2025 is conducted in a regular season and playoffs format with 10 teams participating. All teams will compete in two stages to determine the strongest participant. The tournament winner will earn the right to participate in First Stand 2025 and €40,000. Current news about the tournament is available at this link.