The iconic Spodek is here, with just six teams left standing in IEM Katowice 2025 in an effort to write a new chapter in Counter-Strike’s long history. Up first are the IEM Katowice 2025 Quarter-Finals – let’s take a preview at the two games the event has in store first.
The MongolZ vs. Eternal Fire
Credit: Enos Ku | ESL
First up in the IEM Katowice 2025 Quarter-Finals is The MongolZ vs. Eternal Fire. We’re expecting this one to be an incredibly competitive affair, with both teams here having shown great team play and a high individual level throughout the event. I want to see back-and-forth rounds, some XANTARES magic, and some mzinho clutches. Give me that, and I’ll walk away from this one happy.
After skipping BLAST Bounty due to a player injury, this is The MongolZ’s first event of the year. They’re still just getting warmed up, and could be set to find an explosive peak at just the right moment. Eternal Fire are obviously a massive threat, too, thanks to the sheer quality each player has on that lineup. I think young guns jottAAA and Wicadia will be key here. Their floor needs to be extremely high, delivering consistent results if Eternal Fire are to have a chance.
Overall, we just see enough in The MongolZ to take this one. We’d be shocked to see a clean sweep, given the fairly even level that both of these teams have been operating at throughout IEM Katowice 2025.
Our prediction: The MongolZ 2:1 Eternal Fire
Team Spirit vs. Virtus.pro
Credit: Helena Kristiansson | ESL
It’s already somewhat surprising to see Team Spirit in the Quarter-Finals rather than securing an automatic Semi-Finals berth. They’ve got to run the full gauntlet if they’re going to retain their IEM Katowice title, and honestly, we think they’ll manage this first test with ease.
Why so confident, you may wonder. Post-Groups, Virtus.pro announced that rifler FL4MUS’ visa has run out mid-tournament, which feels like something of a rookie error. Regardless, stand-in mir will fill the gap in VP for the remainder of the event, and that just puts a dampener on this match for us. Team Spirit have largely looked very good at IEM Katowice 2025, and as such, it’s difficult to imagine Virtus.pro being able to get anything done here, especially given the FL4MUS situation. We’d be shocked at anything more than a clean Team Spirit sweep.
Our prediction: Team Spirit: 2:0 Virtus.pro