Preface: The S15 season matches have fully wrapped up, and most players have been paying attention to the recent contests. The Demacia Cup in the LPL region was fiercely competitive, yet from the overall perspective, this event failed to meet players' expectations. The four semifinal teams have all been decided: IG, JDG, LNG, and LGD. These teams are relatively unfamiliar, and judging by their overall strength on paper, only JDG holds some popularity. The match between AL and LGD clearly showed fans the difference between a first team and a second team. Meanwhile, Shanks and Tarzan watched with ashen faces, undeniably showing the gap was quite significant.

Shanks and Tarzan watched with ashen faces

Most players are fairly familiar with the AL team. As a newly rising top-tier team in the LPL region, their overall performance this season was outstanding. If they had managed to defeat T1 in the quarterfinals, their chances of winning the championship would have been very high. To keep their dream alive, the entire roster chose to renew contracts during this season's transfer window, with some even taking pay cuts. Unfortunately, head coach Tabe left, reportedly due to issues related to AD player Hope. Indeed, throughout the year, the AD position has been a weakness for AL. If they could bring in an AD like Gala, their results might improve.

For this Demacia Cup, AL aimed to maximize their overall form by sending the entire team to train in the LCK region, fielding their second-string players for the competition. Overall, AL's second team performed reasonably well, advancing from the second round of group stages into the quarterfinals. The match against LGD made all players realize the vast difference between the LPL’s first and second teams. Honestly, in terms of roster strength, LGD ranks as a mid-to-lower tier team within the LPL, yet they still found it quite easy to face AL’s second team.

After three matches, LGD left no openings for AL, sweeping them 3-0 effortlessly. This outcome was expected by many netizens given the large gap. Post-match, AL’s Shanks and Tarzan became a hot topic; after the loss, their expressions were serious and grim, sharply contrasting with the cheers from LGD players. Indeed, from the spectator seats, they closely observed the young players’ operations, which showed serious problems. It’s likely the coaching staff will hold discussions. Of course, for these second-team players, this Demacia Cup was one of the few opportunities to gain experience.

This time, LGD’s mid laner Yuanshen played quite well. As the last remaining member of RNG, after winning the match, he even showed the RNG team logo. The chat exploded instantly, with many jokingly asking if he was demanding unpaid wages from RNG, since although the team no longer exists, the debts remain. For AL, this loss is not too critical, as it was entirely their second team playing. The first team’s training has finished, and now they are preparing for the first stage of competition, hoping to secure a spot in the VCT Masters.

Goodbye, Reen

It’s clear that Shanks and Tarzan’s expressions were not good. Although these were second-team members, the young players were completely overwhelmed with no chance to fight back, not even a glimpse of opportunity. This likely dealt a blow to the players’ confidence, and many netizens joked about it. However, I think the outcome was somewhat expected, just the loss was more severe than anticipated. Before the match, most people predicted a 3-1 victory.

What do you all think about this situation, dear viewers?