This article was originally published on GameSpot's sister site onGamers.com, which was dedicated to esports coverage.

　　Starting with a quick glance at the LCS table, we can reveal the story so far. Team Alliance is on a bumpy redemption road as a great finish during Super week spearheaded them from the bottom two spots. On the other hand, Fnatic come fresh off an IEM runner-up finish, but only time will tell whether this was much needed practice or if the travel to Poland only exhausted the seemingly out of ideas squad.

　　The standings after Week 8

　　Further down the bottom, Supa Hot Crew and Millenium are in a desperate fight for survival as every loss is a nail in the relegation coffin. The out of steam Roccat, paved the way for an opportunistic SK Gaming to successfully siege and break the top 3, tying Gambit Gaming for the first spot. Every win here is vital as the outcomes of Week 9 and 10 will dictate the events of the last stand – Super week 11.

Teams to watch:

　　Given their solid form, the lads led by CandyPanda have the chance to climb to the number one spot. The odds are also in their favour. Both the Wolves and Roccat are going through a rough patch right now and two swift victories are a must for SK. That would not only guarantee them a pole position in week 10, but will ensure a much needed breathing space and buffer, should something go wrong further down the road.

　　Fnatic:

　　The crew is back in black (and orange) from a strong runner-up performance at IEM. However, a grim 10-10 score serves as a serious warning for the team. This week is a decider for them as a negative outcome could potentially prove to be a disaster. On the other hand, the good practice in Poland may actually be the break the lads need. One thing is for certain the ever-hungry team of Fnatic is not going down without a fight!

　　Alliance:

　　Just as Fnatic, Alliance is walking on thin ice. Although their performances as of late have shown tremendous progress compared to Week 1, the nightmare is definitely not over. Gambit Gaming and Supa Hot Crew stand in the way of the team who seeks to break the mid-table deadlock and potentially rise above the relegation spots prior to the conclusion of the Spring split.

Players to watch:

　　Recently praised on “Summoner’s Insight” for his impressive play, the Pole is looking to bring back the glory his team seemingly lost over the past few weeks. The Thresh master will undoubtedly draw a ban from the enemy team as he holds an impressive 4.1 KDA ratio. The MVP from week 4 will do all in his power to bring fear in the lines this week’s enemy – Fnatic and SK Gaming.

　　Evgeny 'Genja' Andryushin:

　　We simply cannot miss the IEM Katowice MVP – Genja. The Varus maestro had a very impressive weekend as his impeccable sniping abilities ensured another top 4 finish for the Russian overlords. Facing Alliance in the opener of Week 9, all eyes will be on bot lane. By edging Tabzz in KDA ratio, Gold per minute and Minions killed, we can certainly expect the Russian sniper to be in the zone.

　　Jessie 'Jesiz' Le:

　　Last, but not least, we have Jesiz. Despite the initial backlash, the youngster has impressed everyone with his mechanical prowess and has been instrumental in SK Gaming’s rise to the top 2. Two more victories separate this LCS rookie from the first spot, victories we can be sure Jesiz will work very hard for.

Top game to watch:

　　The bottom two teams will have to play the match of their lives as a loss here equals an almost inevitable relegation position. Their other match is against Alliance and Gambit respectively and with neither outcome being in their favour, the bottom two will seek out a must win against each other. Millenium is the clear favourite as they lead 2-0 in direct clashes during the regular season. Also the games at IEM this weekend should have been good practise for Aranae, Creaton and co. before they return to the LCS. In addition to that, with the recent swap of Moopz in favour of former MYM sub Selfie (also known as CHUYOU), there is no clear indication how the Crew will overcome their opposition.

　　Regardless, the winner of this match will still find it incredibly hard to rise above the relegation spot.

　　Red - Supa Hot Crew, Blue - Millenium, Tan - LCS AverageAll-in-all we are in for an amazing week 9! Knowing how unpredictable the EU scene can be, we are to expect a lot of shifting names and positions on the leader board. The end of the spring split is merely two weeks away so every match here can be a make or break deal for everyone!

　　Images courtesy of lolesports.com