The final CS:GO Major has finally reached the playoffs, where the eight remaining teams are due to go head-to-head in the Quarterfinals.
BLAST.tv Paris Major: Quarterfinals schedule, betting odds and predictions
After almost two weeks of frantic CS:GO action in the Challengers and Legends Stage, it's finally time for the playoffs! The 24 teams who started out at the Paris Major have been whittled down to just eight, as they fight it out for the honour of lifting the final CS:GO Major trophy.
And those eight teams are about to be cut in half, as only four teams will make it through to the May 20 Semifinals. Each team still in the running at the Paris Major are competing for their share of the $1,250,000 prize pool - with the ultimate winner receiving $500,000, as well as qualifications to both IEM Cologne 2023 and the BLAST Premier World Final.
The Quarterfinal action is due to begin at 14:00 on May 18, when we'll be treated to a match between Heroic and FaZe Clan.
Heroic (1.64) vs FaZe Clan (2.28)
Heroic had an incredible start to the BLAST.tv Paris Major, having joined during the Legends stage, comfortably facing off FaZe Clan with a score of 16 - 7 in their best-of-one debut match. Following that, they saw off Apeks with a score of 16-10, before earning their spot in the playoffs through a 2-1 win over Team Liquid in their best-of-three match. This tournament has been full of upset wins from the start, with some of the biggest teams in CS:GO having failed to make it this far. Heroic, however, have managed to demonstrate why they're one of the strongest teams in the game right now, and are a strong favourite to make it through to the Grand Final.
And while FaZe Clan has an incredible record of their own, their performance at the Paris Major has been somewhat disappointing. Despite a promising start in the Challengers Stage, with a record of 3 wins to 1 loss, FaZe Clan just barely qualified for the playoffs. In fact, they were the lowest-ranked team from the Legends Stage to make it through to the Quarterfinals, with a record of three wins to two losses - with FaZe having fallen at the hands of both Heroic and, shockingly, Into the Breach. That hardly bodes well for their chances in the playoffs - but FaZe have proven time and time again that they're not a team to be underestimated, so it may not be all over just yet.
The odds are in Heroic's favour here, at 1.64 vs FaZe Clan's 2.28.
Our next Quarterfinal match will kick off at 18:00 GMT on May 18, when Team Vitality will go up against Into the Breach.
Team Vitality (1.13) vs Into the Breach (5.97)
Team Vitality, similarly to Heroic, have had a sterling start to the tournament. The IEM Rio Champions joined the tournament during the Legends Stage, where they achieved a perfect record of three wins and zero losses - having faced off against the likes of G2 Esports, ENCE and Monte. Team Vitality are one of the favourites to make it through to the Grand Final - especially since the likes of G2 Esports and Natus Vincere (NAVI) have now both been eliminated from the Paris Major. But this Major has been host to a number of surprise upsets, so we can't assume that Team Vitality's ticket to the Semifinals is guaranteed.
Meanwhile, their fellow Legends Stage team Into the Breach had a bit more of a challenging journey through the Major, having qualified for the playoffs with a record of three wins to two losses. However, it should be pointed out that the majority-British team have been facing steep odds from the start, having been arguably outmatched by many of their competitors. And yet Into The Breach has successfully faced off against much stronger and more experienced teams - having already defeated the likes of FaZe Clan, ENCE and Fnatic. They're facing tough competition in Team Vitality, but does Into the Breach have what it takes to pull off another upset win?
The odds are heavily in Team Vitality's favour here, at 1.13 vs Into the Breach's 5.97.
And the action doesn't stop there - with the next Quarterfinal match seeing Monte facing off against GamerLegion at 14:00 GMT on May 19.
Monte (1.70) vs GamerLegion (2.16)
Monte has been competing in the BLAST.tv Paris Major since the start, having made their way through the Challengers Stage with a record of 3 wins to 2 losses. They improved on the performance once through to the Legends Stage, boasting a record of 3 wins to 1 loss - with the Majority-Ukrainian team successfully facing off against NAVI, Fnatic and FURIA Esports. It's a remarkable run for a team with limited experience at tournaments of this level, and a sign of how well smaller teams have been performing at the Paris Major so far.
They're not alone in that, however. GamerLegion, an otherwise lesser-known team, has also repeatedly defied the odds to make it this far. GamerLegion just barely made it through the Challengers Stage, coming in as the lowest-ranked team to make it through to the next stage of the Major. Their record improved once in the Legends Stage, however, where the team boasted a 3-1 win record - defeating the likes of 9INE, Fnatic and Apeks. GamerLegion have done well to make it this far - but can they make it to the Semifinals?
The odds are in Monte's favour here, at 1.70 vs GamerLegion's 2.16.
And our final Quarterfinal match will take place at 18:00 GMT on May 19, when Team Liquid will go up against Apeks.
Team Liquid (1.45) vs Apeks (2.76)
Team Liquid seems to be recovering after an arguably disappointing few months for the team, with their 13th - 16th placement at ESL Pro League Season 17 sitting heavy in recent memory. But the team seems to be reminding fans that they're still a force to be reckoned with so far this Major. While their run through the Challengers Stage was hardly compelling, with a record of 3 wins to 2 losses, the team was able to pick up the slack in the Legends Stage - boasting a record of 3 wins to 1 loss, successfully seeing off the likes of 9INE, NAVI and Into the Breach, but failing to defeat Heroic. Team Liquid is arguably in need of a win, but do they have what it takes to hang on in the Paris Major playoffs?
Apeks, meanwhile, immediately impressed fans in their Challengers Stage run. Despite lacking experience at tournaments of this level, they nonetheless achieved a record of 3 wins to 1 loss, claiming victory over Grayhound Gaming, paiN Gaming and, most notably, Team Liquid. And while their 3-2 record in the Legends Stage wasn't quite as impressive, it was enough for them to make it through to the Quarterfinals. They'll be facing steep odds from here on out, but Apeks has already claimed an upset win over Team Liquid at this Major - can they do it again?
The odds are in Team Liquid's favour here, at 1.45 vs 2.76.
The end is in sight at the BLAST.tv Paris Major, with the Grand Final due to take place on May 21. As such, you've only got a few more days to go before we see the finale of the last-ever CS:GO Major! To make sure you don't miss another moment, make sure you check out our BLAST.tv match schedule. And remember to claim your free 100% bonus before you bet on CS:GO!
