ESL Professional League is again with Season 20, with 32 groups heading to Malta for probably the most thrilling CS2 occasions of the 12 months. We’re having a look in any respect the groups concerned, providing you with our energy rankings for every Group, in addition to particular crew predictions for favorites and underdogs!
Credit score: ESL
Group A
Credit score: Helena Kristiansson | © ESL
Regardless of having two of the strongest groups in ESL Professional League Season 20, Group A is perhaps the weakest of all. NAVI and FaZe Clan are the plain standouts, and we’ll be staggered if these two groups should not within the Higher Bracket Ultimate of this Group. Whereas FaZe’s type has been ropey of late, to say the least, they need to nonetheless have sufficient to be comfy in Group A, whereas NAVI will wish to swiftly bounce again after disappointment within the IEM Cologne 2024 Ultimate.
Natus Vincere
FaZe Clan
Everlasting Hearth
Heroic
Ninjas in Pyjamas
FlyQuest
Sangal Esports
Lynn Imaginative and prescient
Our highlighted underdogs are Everlasting Hearth and Ninjas in Pyjamas. For EF, issues haven’t fairly been clicking recently as they had been earlier within the 12 months, however with gamers of XANTARES and woxic’s high quality, you’re all the time in with an opportunity of victory. For NIP, disappointment in on-line occasions has been their story lately. There’s a very good core right here, and we expect they’ve received a shot of rewriting the narrative in Malta.
Group B
Credit score: Viola Schuldner | © ESL
Regardless of Crew Spirit bombing out of IEM Cologne 2024 in final place, we’re sticking with them for prime of our ESL Professional League Season 20 energy rankings in Group B. G2 have proven some indicators of inconsistency lately, and Spirit are definitely higher than the opposite names in Group B. Regardless of G2’s cracks within the armor, they’ve nonetheless received far an excessive amount of firepower to let an excessive amount of go awry right here.
Crew Spirit
G2 Esports
The MongolZ
9z Crew
MIBR
3DMAX
KOI
Wildcard
The underdogs listed below are an fascinating case – be careful for 9z Crew and Wildcard. 9z Crew have crushed some stable groups on LAN of late, exhibiting there’s maybe a better degree to this roster than we beforehand realized. In the meantime, Wildcard have received all however two collection since including European skills phzy and susp, successful an unimaginable 29 in that point. This will probably be an incredible check of their true degree.
Group C
Credit score: IEM on X.
Whereas MOUZ and Astralis are Group C’s massive favorites, this can be a group crammed with actual upset groups that may dismantle the established order. Whereas we’re assured MOUZ will progress with ease, keep watch over Astralis. On paper, sure, they need to end second right here, however we’re fascinated to see if it pans out that manner in apply. Astralis have to bounce again after their current disappointments, and something much less might spell doom for this iteration of the roster as it’s.
MOUZ
Astralis
Complexity
Imperial Esports
BIG
Fnatic
M80
Rooster
Groups like Imperial Esports and Fnatic might show to be actual issues right here. This will probably be Fnatic’s first LAN of this tier since including blameF, in order that they’ll have some extent to show. For Imperial, we actually just like the younger core of attempt, decenty, and noway. All three are extremely gifted gamers trying to present what they’re able to in a extra prestigious CS2 match than they’re used to.
Group D
Credit score: Michał Konkol | © ESL
After successful IEM Cologne 2024, Vitality are again on monitor. There have been whispers of roster adjustments over the previous couple of months, however how are you going to after such a giant win? They should fancy their possibilities of a win at ESL Professional League Season 20, and are definitely amongst our favorites. They’re joined by Crew Liquid, who’ve seemed very sturdy since Twistzz took over as IGL. Can final proceed his nice type to hold Liquid? Time will inform.
Crew Vitality
Crew Liquid
Virtus.professional
Falcons
FURIA
ENCE
RED Canids
ATOX Esports
Our underdogs listed below are Falcons and FURIA. Falcons have been on the grind in a number of occasions lately, with a person uptick in type ever since rumors of NiKo’s arrival surfaced. These Falcons gamers are enjoying for his or her spot on the crew come 2025, and this might end in some stable ends in Malta. In the meantime, FURIA gave a good account of themselves at BetBoom Dacha Belgrade Season 2, with FalleN rolling again the years to 2016 to impress. It’s a small upward trajectory, however for FURIA, something is healthier than its performances earlier within the 12 months.
