After yet another disappointing performance in the last regional for the World Champions, their chances of qualifying for the San Diego Winter Major are already looking pretty slim. To make things even worse, they have found themselves placed in one of the most stacked groups that we have ever seen.

A new contender in Team Vitality arose in the last regional, a team that has already caused many problems for teams looking to take a Major qualification spot. With there being only five spots available and with Vitality in a perfect position to steal one, things are looking rough for the likes of Team BDS and the many other teams that hoped to qualify for San Diego.

Bout time they got back to their winning ways.

RLCS 22-23 EU Winter Cup Teams and Groups

The competition is getting tougher and tougher every week in Europe and none of sixteen teams are free wins as they fight for RLCS Points and $100,000. Let’s take a look at the qualified teams and groups for the EU Winter Cup:

Fans are referring to group B as the “group of death” and for good reason. At the start of the split all four of these teams were in the running for a major qualification spot, and to think that it is guaranteed that one of these teams will be eliminated in 13th-16th must be a terrifying prospect for them. Furthermore with Moist’s recent drop in form after the departure of Rise, I can see any of these teams winning or losing this group. It’s impossible to predict with all four of these teams being so close in skill.

RLCS 22-23 EU Winter Cup Predictions

It’s safe to say after their dominant victory in the Winter Open, Karmine Corp are set to make another good run in this tournament. They have already made every regional final this season, and it would be hard to bet against them making it there again at least this weekend. They are the obvious favourites for this event.

After dominating the G1 Invitational, Oxygen had a flat performance in the Winter Open, with losses to both Team BDS and Team Vitality showing cracks in this star-studded roster. With how the seeding has worked out, if Oxygen win their group then they should face Karmine Corp in the semi final, however I do not see them taking this series. Though another top 4 finish will put them in a prime position to take a Major spot, I know that this is not enough for them. They are hungry for the win.

I think the team with the most “upset” potential however will indeed be Team BDS (it is crazy to think that a good result from Team BDS would be considered an upset at this point). Ever since their first bad performance at the start of this season, I have predicted for every regional that they will bounce back.

Yet, to my despair they haven’t thus far. However I still haven’t given up on them yet, and after M0nkey M00n revealed on Twitter that his mentality seems to have improved slightly after a rough period it has given me more confidence that now is indeed the time for Team BDS to rise again. They need it more than ever, as another bad performance here might kill any chance they have at making it to the major, and possibly Worlds.