G2 Esports appears to have swiftly found their new support for the 2025 League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) season, with Labros “Labrov” Papoutsakis set to join the team.
The move follows G2’s disappointing exit from Worlds 2024, where they were eliminated in the Swiss Stage by Bilibili Gaming, missing out on the knockout stage.
At least we went out swinging 🫡
The support on home turf was unreal, thanks to everyone showing love, hope we put on a good show for you all ❤️ pic.twitter.com/xy5YDylpbr
— G2 League of Legends (@G2League) October 13, 2024
Despite securing every LEC trophy throughout the year, G2’s ambitions remain focused on achieving success on the international stage.
The report, initially published by Sheep Esports’ Alejandro “Anonimotum” Gomis, confirmed G2’s decision to part ways with long-time support veteran Mihael “Mikyx” Mehle.
Labrov, who has established himself as one of Europe’s top supports, will have significant shoes to fill with Mikyx’s departure.
The Slovenian, a former Mid-Season Invitational champion and LEC MVP, was allowed to explore his options without a buyout, suggesting G2’s desire to refresh their roster.
Labrov made his LEC debut in 2020 with Team Vitality and quickly gained attention by winning the LEC Rookie of the Split award.
However, his progress stagnated as Vitality struggled to achieve notable results in the league.
Seeking a fresh start, Labrov joined Team BDS in 2023 and has since formed a formidable bot-lane duo with Yoon “Ice” Sang-hoon, helping the team achieve consistent top-half finishes in the LEC.
While Team BDS narrowly missed out on a Worlds qualification this year, they secured fourth place in the LEC Season Finals, solidifying Labrov’s reputation.
Labrov was one of the hottest targets in the offseason, attracting interest from various LEC teams, including Team Heretics, SK Gaming, Rogue, and GiantX.
Ultimately, he chose G2 Esports, where he will join a talented lineup featuring Sergen “BrokenBlade” Çelik, Steven “Hans Sama” Liv, and Rasmus “Caps” Winther.
With this addition, G2 aims to overcome the frustration of missing out on the Worlds top eight for two consecutive years.
In addition to the support change, G2 is likely to make adjustments in the jungle.
Martin “Yike” Sundelin, the team’s current jungler, has also been allowed to explore other opportunities.
Among potential replacements, Rudy “SkewMond” Semaan, a standout performer in Team BDS’ Academy and the European Regional Leagues, is one of the most anticipated candidates.
As Worlds 2024 progresses, LEC teams are moving quickly to secure their rosters for the next season, with G2 leading the charge.
More announcements can be expected in the coming weeks as teams finalise their lineups for 2025.