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We turn our focus to the PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, one of the biggest CS2 tournaments of the season. The event features 12 top teams and 4 qualifier winners, all competing for a $1,250,000 prize pool, with $625,000 going directly to the players.
Today’s quarterfinal match brings together Team Liquid and SAW. Both teams showed solid form in the group stage — Liquid relying on experience and composure in key moments, while SAW earned their spot through discipline and teamwork.
With a place in the semifinals at stake, this match is expected to be close and hard-fought. Both sides will be giving everything they’ve got to stay in the running for the PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 title.
How The Bookie View It: Team Liquid in Favour
Ahead of the upcoming quarterfinal clash at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 between Team Liquid and SAW, the bookmakers have revealed their odds, showing a clear favorite. Team Liquid enters the match at 1.39 for a win, while SAW stands at 2.94. Despite Liquid’s advantage on paper, SAW has proven capable of surprising stronger opponents, which adds intrigue to this matchup. Fans can expect a competitive game as both teams battle for a coveted spot in the semifinals.
Team Liquid form. What result can be expected from Team Liquid
Team Liquid in 2025 continued to strengthen their position on the international CS2 scene, demonstrating stability, high-level gameplay, and the ability to adapt to challenging situations. At the start of the year, a key event was the return of EliGE to the roster, giving the team an aggressive and confident playstyle. Additionally, the roster was strengthened by NertZ and siuhy, who took on the roles of versatile player and captain respectively, while young talent ultimate continued to impress, showing a high individual skill level and potential for further growth.
- Team Liquid’s 2025 roster: EliGE, NAF, NertZ, siuhy, ultimate.
The coaching staff included experienced flashie, with DeMars DeRover handling analytical duties, which allowed the team to improve communication, strategic discipline, and map flexibility. Early in the season, these changes were reflected in more coordinated team play and effective player synergy, which became evident from their tournament results.
The season began with BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, where Team Liquid had a disappointing performance, finishing 15–16th with a 1–2 record and earning $15,000. Despite this slow start, the team immediately focused on correcting mistakes and improving their gameplay. At the ESL Pro League Season 22: European Qualifier, the team showed more structured play but still faced difficulties, finishing 9–16th. At Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2025, Team Liquid again failed to reach the playoffs, finishing 13–16th and earning $10,000, though they showed notable progress in individual performance and tactical decisions.
August proved to be a busy month: at the BLAST Bounty Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier, they successfully advanced from the group stage with a 2–1 record, and at the main BLAST Bounty Fall 2025 tournament, they finished 5–8th, earning $18,750. At the Esports World Cup 2025, Team Liquid finished 9–16th, earning $20,000, but displayed resilience and the ability to maintain focus in high-pressure situations. The team also participated in the BLAST Open Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier, finishing 9–12th with a 0–2 record, adding $7,500 to their prize fund.
The September period of the season was more productive: at FISSURE Playground #2, the team finished 3–4th, losing a close series 1–2 and earning $40,000. At the Birch Cup 2025, Team Liquid finished third with a 2–0 record and $1,700 in prize money. These tournaments showed that Team Liquid could perform at a high level in offline events and compete with top European and Asian teams, consistently demonstrating solid individual preparation and team coordination.
In October, Team Liquid competed at the CS Asia Championships 2025, confidently defeating opponents 2–0 and finishing third, earning $60,000. Following that, in the tournament opener at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, Team Liquid managed a narrow 2–1 victory over the Brazilian squad Legacy, showing their ability to adapt under pressure and maintain composure in tight matches. However, in their second match of the event, Liquid fell to Aurora Gaming 2–1, despite winning the first map. The defeat highlighted the team’s inconsistency in closing out series against disciplined opponents but also showed promising signs in terms of map control and early-round execution.
It is worth noting the dynamics of the team’s performance throughout the season. Despite several early setbacks, Team Liquid systematically analyzed mistakes, adjusted player roles, and improved map communication. A key factor was the role rotation between NAF and NertZ, which allowed them to diversify tactical approaches and adapt to different types of opponents. EliGE and ultimate provided stable fragging and leadership in crucial moments, helping the team maintain map control and win critical rounds.
Overall, Team Liquid in 2025 showed that they remain one of the stable teams on the international CS2 scene. Despite some setbacks at major tournaments, including the 2–1 loss to Aurora at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, the team managed to improve communication, adapt to different opponents, and demonstrate coordinated play. The roster and coaching staff showed they could work together, fix mistakes, and find new tactics. The season’s results, including the confident start and competitive showing at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, indicate that Liquid have everything needed to remain competitive and continue fighting for good placements in major tournaments, with each upcoming match offering a chance to consolidate their position and gain further experience.
Team Liquid Map Pool
Over the past three months, Team Liquid’s performance on different CS2 maps has been a mix of strong results and clear challenges. Their best map has been Ancient, where they won 70% of their matches, showing that they feel confident with rotations, site takes, and overall map control. Mirage has also been a reliable choice, especially as a first pick, with a 61.5% win rate, thanks to solid mid-control and coordinated team plays. Dust2 remains a playable map for them, with a 56.2% win rate, though it’s not as dominant as Ancient or Mirage. On the other hand, Nuke has been tricky, with a 42.9% win rate, as the team struggles with coordinated site pushes and holding key positions. Inferno was even harder, winning only 40% of games, mainly due to difficulties controlling banana and breaking well-set defenses. Train proved to be the toughest for Liquid, with just a 25% win rate, showing that both rotations and strategies need improvement to compete at the highest level. Overall, while the team has clear strong maps, there’s still work to do on the weaker ones to make their map pool more balanced and versatile in upcoming tournaments.
SAW form. What result can be expected from SAW
SAW in 2025 continued to strengthen their presence on the international CS2 scene, demonstrating stability, tactical discipline, and the ability to adapt to different opponents. At the start of the year, the team relied on the solid foundation of MUTiRiS, story, Ag1l, aragornN, and krazy, while coach SYDOX provided analytical support and strategic guidance, helping to improve team coordination, communication, and map flexibility. This setup allowed SAW to maintain a consistent playstyle while developing individual player skills and synergy.
- SAW’s 2025 roster: MUTiRiS, story, Ag1l, aragornN, krazy.
The coaching staff included SYDOX, whose experience in strategy and map preparation contributed to the team’s ability to compete against higher-ranked opponents and adapt quickly during matches. Early in the season, these improvements were reflected in the team’s results across both online and offline tournaments, showing that SAW could perform steadily even under challenging circumstances.
The season began with a series of mixed results. At Frag Blocktober 2025, SAW finished 5–8th with a 1–2 record, while in Exort The Proving Grounds Season 4 they also ended 5–8th, earning $2,951.49. The team achieved a highlight in September by winning Roman Imperium Cup II with a 2–1 victory, securing $2,933.91, but faced setbacks in the Thunderpick World Championship 2025: Closed Qualifier, finishing 9–16th. In August, SAW struggled at ESL Challenger League Season 50: Europe - Cup #1 with a 0–2 result, yet showed stronger performance at CCT Season 3 European Series #4, placing 3–4th and earning $5,000. Offline competitions also saw competitive finishes, including 2nd place at Roman Imperium Cup I and 3–4th at FISSURE Playground #1, with a notable $35,000 prize.
By 27 October 2025, SAW held 42nd place in the CS2 HLTV.org world rankings, with a 50% win rate over their last ten matches. Throughout the season, the team demonstrated resilience and strategic adaptability, balancing victories in smaller offline events with learning experiences from tougher B-Tier and qualifier tournaments. Strong individual performances from key players, combined with SYDOX’s coaching, helped SAW refine their map strategies, improve communication, and maintain consistency against varied European opposition.
Overall, SAW in 2025 showed that they are a competitive and steadily improving team on the international CS2 stage. While results varied across tournaments, the team consistently demonstrated disciplined play, strategic awareness, and the potential to challenge higher-ranked opponents. With a balanced roster and strong coaching support, SAW remains a notable contender in both online and offline competitions, with each event contributing to their growth and international recognition.
At the ongoing PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, the Portuguese team SAW holds a 2-1 record. They lost their opening match to the French squad 3DMAX but managed to secure a hard-fought victory against Ninjas in Pyjamas in their second game. In their third match, they faced GamerLegion and once again came out on top after a tense 2-1 battle.
SAW Map Pool
Over the past three months, SAW has demonstrated clear strengths and weaknesses across different maps in CS2. Their strongest map is Nuke, where they have an impressive 84.6% win rate when choosing it as the first pick, followed by Dust2 at 71.4% and Train at 66.7%, showing consistent performance on traditional and tactical maps. On Ancient, they remain solid with a 54.5% win rate, while Inferno has proven more challenging, yielding only 25% victories. Their weakest map is Overpass, where SAW has yet to secure a win in recent months. This map pool indicates a team that excels on structured, strategic maps but struggles on certain popular maps that require heavy adaptability and coordinated mid-round decision-making.
Head-to-Head: Team Liquid vs SAW
This will be the first meeting between Team Liquid and SAW in an official CS2 match. With no previous encounters to look back on, both teams enter the game without any direct history, making it difficult to predict the outcome based on past results.
Predicted result of the match Team Liquid – SAW at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
Looking at both teams’ form, Team Liquid enters this matchup as the favorite. They have more experience at high-level offline events and have shown resilience in tight situations, making them a solid pick for the win. SAW, on the other hand, has been steadily improving throughout 2025 and is capable of putting up a fight, but they may struggle to keep up with Liquid’s depth and consistency.
On paper, a Team Liquid victory seems most likely, though a close series with a few tight rounds is expected. SAW could take a map if they play at their best, but Liquid’s experience and composure in big matches give them the edge to advance to the semifinals.
Prediction: Team Liquid win.
