Is Viper really worse than Hope?

After the LPL officially announced AL manager Aixiang as “Best Manager of the Year,” many fans remarked that despite Aixiang’s tendency to create drama, his personal skills are impressive. During the LPL transfer period, AL managed to renew contracts with all players at a low cost, leaving many fans in disbelief. Considering AL’s jungler Tarzan and support Kael both increased their market value this year, many expected AL wouldn’t be able to keep the jungle-support duo. However, Aixiang, relying on his negotiation skills, successfully retained LPL’s “championship hope” for next year.

Of course, some LPL fans believe Aixiang is holding back AL players’ futures. Renewing the entire roster means AL’s AD player remains Hope. During the transfer window, many AL fans hoped the team would strengthen the bot lane, but Aixiang ignored their suggestions. Some even predict that without coach Tabe next year, if AL reaches the World Championship semifinals, it will be considered a success.

As outside doubts about AL manager Aixiang grew, he finally exploded during Zhu Kai’s livestream, openly stating that the hyped-up Viper hasn’t beaten Hope even once in 2025. He also challenged the chat, asking why Viper can’t win if he is really that strong. Many viewers think Hope’s wins over Viper are due to stronger jungle and support players; if their AD roles were swapped, Viper would definitely beat Hope. (Who do you think is responsible for Viper not winning against Hope all year?)

Reason behind AL renewing Hope’s contract revealed

During the livestream, AL manager Aixiang also explained why AL decided to renew Hope’s contract for next season. Essentially, Hope is the foundation of the team. AL’s top laner Saint and mid laner Shanks were both brought in through Hope’s transfers. Moreover, when AL’s support Kael was still unknown, all star ADs in LPL refused to duo with him except Hope. Hope even taught Kael Chinese during breaks, and Kael appreciates Hope’s efforts, which is why Kael agreed to renew and play alongside Hope for another year.

After AL manager Aixiang revealed the team’s transfer details, many fans joked that AL is now stuck in a “deadlock.” Hope is the team’s “good guy,” having recruited the mid and top laners, and is like a benefactor to support Kael. If AL really removes Hope, next season AL might only renew contracts for the top, mid, jungle, and support players. (Do you think AL should handle transfers based on “personal relationships” or should they remove Hope strictly for better results?)

Besides defending Hope, AL manager Aixiang also dropped a big bomb during the livestream: BLG’s coach has been confirmed, and it’s Dan Shen, IG’s core coach. Many viewers had guessed this because Dan Shen joined IG mainly due to TheShy’s influence. Now that TheShy is resting next season, Dan Shen will surely look for another team. So far, BLG is the best fit for him since Dan Shen prefers rotating jungle players, and BLG has three junglers next season, allowing him to rotate freely.

Conclusion

Personally, I think AL renewing the entire roster isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, many “galaxy ships” in the LPL have disbanded after just one year. I believe AL still has chances to grow and improve. What do you think about AL’s future performance? Also, I’m looking forward to the matchups between Viper and Hope. Do you think Hope can continue to beat Viper in 2026?