With the Final Four from Europe in the EU Rocket League Championship Series regional championship decided, it's time to have the ultimate playoff to decide the seeding for the main event.
The playoffs, which run Saturday and Sunday, will be a single-elimination tournament of the top four teams from each region. Here's how Europe's best stacks up.
Match 1: Northern Gaming versus Mockit Aces
No. 1 seeds generally should be heavy favorites versus any No. 4 seed, yet that isn't necessarily the case to start off Europe's battle for LAN seedings. Northern Gaming looks very good, but in the regular season it must be remembered that both sides finished with a 5-2 record and both have looked solid moving to Amsterdam and the grand finals. Northern Gaming has had two weeks off from RLCS, and this matchup will be a good gauge of whether rest was beneficial or the warm team from playoffs matters more.
On paper, Northern Gaming is the favorite here. Mockit is coming off of a loss against the boys from Precision Z and will need to recover against one of the world's best teams. This matchup should be a rude awakening for Mockit Aces as they look to improve going into Amsterdam for the grand finals.
Prediction: Northern Gaming over Mockit Aces, 4-2
Match 2: FlipSid3 Tactics versus Precision Z
If asked a week ago, one would have predicted whoever Precision Z faced would have a distinct advantage. Yet that is in no way guaranteed, as Precision Z took down Mockit Aces to come in as a third seed. Generally, FlipSid3 is the team expected to move on from here, but isn't the overwhelming favorite based on current form. Favorites yes, runners up in Season 1, second in the regular season and historically one of the best teams in the world.
Precision Z is flying high after taking down one of the Europe's Big 3, but will it happen twice in two weeks? Probably not. Precision Z earned the spot at LAN and has shown it can play with the big boys. Overall the quality of FlipSid3 should be a little too far beyond Precision Z, but the matches could be close.
Prediction: FlipSid3 Tactics over Precision Z, 4-1