Round 3 of the Swiss stage at Worlds 2024 will end this Monday. Only one of the 16 teams will claim the title of League of Legends Season 14 World Champion, and Sheep Esports is here every day with insights on the day's key matchups. Today, all eyes are on the high-stakes best-of-three elimination match between MAD Lions KOI, Europe's third seed fighting to stay alive, and GAM Esports, the reigning VCS champions also facing the brink of elimination.

Will the Lions break free?

"Recently, Levi has been thinking a lot about playing Kai'Sa jungle, and we’ve been testing it here and there. So, if things go well, you might see some Kai'Sa in the jungle in the future," told Hứa "EasyLove" Thành An in his recent interview with Sheep Esports.

After a standout performance on Shyvana through the Play-In stage — the only team to successfully pull off the pick so far — GAM Esports have looked considerably weaker since the champion was banned in their games against FlyQuest and Fnatic. Without their comfort pick, they’ve often seemed lost on the map, chasing opponents in vain and demonstrating a poor macro game that has been easily exploited by their rivals. They are a clear underdog in the tournament and still crave a win on the Swiss stage.

On the other side, MAD Lions KOI are also having a rough Worlds run. After a disappointing loss to PSG Talon in a Play-In rematch, they've fallen into familiar pitfalls, failing to leverage the strengths that carried them through the LEC season. Known for their creative drafts and clutch plays, such as their unforgettable 3-2 victory over G2 Esports in the LEC Season Finals, MDK have instead leaned on conventional and meta picks that don’t suit their style. The added pressure of having four rookies debuting on the Worlds stage — even if only in Berlin’s studio — seems to be weighing them down. Javier "Elyoya" Prades, usually a pillar of consistency, hasn’t been as reliable, and Bartłomiej "Fresskowy" Przewoźnik is still searching for a breakout performance.

Now, both struggling teams face off in a high-stakes best-of-three Play-In matchup, where there’s a bit of room for error. With both sides shaky and lacking confidence, it's difficult to label one as the clear underdog in what promises to be a tense, unpredictable showdown. However, given that both teams are on the verge of elimination, we can expect some bold picks and riskier plays as they fight to stay alive.

The match between MAD Lions KOI and GAM Esports kicks off at 2 PM CET, with Team Liquid taking on paiN Gaming at approximately 5 PM