We are soon reaching crunch time as the fourth season of the LFL; France’s national league is set to take a definitive turn. The top three are beginning to surge ahead from the rest of the pack, although there is stifling competition for the next three spots. Karmine Corp and Misfits Premier have crucial make or break matches ahead of them.

The race for the playoffs – where the top six make it – just got real.

Smooth sailing for BDS Academy and LDLC OL

In the first of our contests on Wednesday, the heavily-fancied LDLC OL will take on bottom-placed Team Oplon. LDLC are sitting pretty at the top of the standings, having won five out of their six matches. Oplon are still searching for their first points. If they manage to win, it would possibly be the mother of all upsets this season.

But that’s easier said than done, because they will be up against one of the most prolific players in the league: Eika and Exakick, whose creep score of 381.33 is among the highest for bot laners in the championship.

In what could be a much-closer contest, Mirage Elyandra run into red-hot BDS Academy, who will be looking to establish a slender lead at the top of the standings. Elyandra have had mixed fortunes so far, winning there and losing three. When they have won, they have been spectacular, when they have lost, the performances have been very ordinary.

BDS Academy are five wins in six, and have no real worries to speak of. But with Vitality showing glimpses of their dominating form and breathing down their neck, they cannot afford to be complacent in this one.

But Mirage’s head coach Damien “Damles” wants to be realistic about their aspirations, and wants the side to play without worrying about consequences.

“We have the potential to make unique accomplishments and pull off upsets,” he told the team’s website. “I think that every game will be different and I think supporting us is a good idea because we are one of the teams that can take victories away from the bigger teams, whether it is in the mental aspect or in our will to win Supporting us may be more difficult than teams like Kcorp or Vitality but it will be more rewarding.”

They will be heavily reliant on mid laner RangJun and Cody Sun, who has moved over to the European League now having gained the experience of having gone to the World Championship twice with Clutch Gaming and Immortals. BDS will look to counter Cody’s experience through Crownshot.

Deep waters for the “favorites”

For Karmine Corp, it will be important to break a three-match losing streak against GameWard, who are only slightly better off on the form meter. They will look towards Rekkles, who holds an eight-year record for most kills in a single split. But they can’t always look towards just one player to perform? Who will stand up when it matters most? Gameward have Akabane to bank on, with Innaxe playing the perfect foil.

Elsewhere in the betting stakes, very little separates Vitality Bee and Misfits Premier. Vitality are third, with four wins in six. Misfits are joint fourth with three wins in six. So a win here and they can easily vault into the top three. While Vitality will look towards Jeskla, the bot laner, for offensive proficiency, Polish player Woolite holds the aces for Misfits Premier.

It’s a sign of how competitive the league is when there are four sides jostling for the fourth spot. Technically, one win separates fourth-placed Solary from eight-placed GamersOrigin. Solary have three wins in six’ Gamersorigin have two in six. It’s that closely packed. This week will help us get a better idea on how the spring split is shaping up.

Fancy any upsets?