Astralis and BIG approach this match with different results in their recent encounters, but both teams understand the importance of this game, as a spot in the playoffs of PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 is at stake. For Astralis, it's a chance to cement their stability and continue the fight for the trophy, while for BIG, it's an opportunity to turn around a series of inconsistent performances and prove their competitiveness. In this article, we'll analyze the current form of the teams, the potential map pool, and provide a match prediction.

Current Form of Teams

Astralis heads into the match with decent results in recent games. Their average tournament rating over the last month is 6.1. The team has performed well in tier-1 competitions, but in key moments, they lack consistency. Out of their last five matches, Astralis won three—against SAW, BetBoom, and Zero Tenacity, but lost to Falcons and paiN. These losses point to certain adaptation problems with opponents.

BIG, on the other hand, shows not the most confident results. Their average monthly rating is 6.0. In the IEM Katowice 2025 Play-in, the team won the opening match but then lost twice and exited the tournament. In the BLAST Rising South America Spring 2025, they reached the grand final but couldn't capture the title. In the last five matches, the team won only two—against Wildcard and FlyQuest, but lost to Eternal Fire, MOUZ, and Heroic. This indicates instability in their play.

Map Pool

Astralis will likely first ban Anubis, as they completely avoid this map (26 consecutive bans). As their pick, they might choose Inferno, where their win rate is 60% over 20 games, or Nuke, which also remains a strong option with a 56% win rate.

BIG, in turn, are almost certain to ban Anubis, as they don't play this map (31 consecutive bans). There's also a high likelihood of an Inferno ban, as BIG's win rate on it is very low—just 13% over 8 games. BIG will most likely pick Ancient, where their win rate is 67% over 30 matches. If Ancient is unavailable, their second possible option would be Nuke (56% wins over 16 games).

Match Prediction

Astralis appear to be the favorites in this matchup. Despite minor issues with instability, their results against strong opponents and confident play in tier-1 tournaments indicate a good level of preparation. BIG, on the contrary, show variable results, and their losses to MOUZ and Eternal Fire might point to weaknesses that Astralis can exploit.

If the match goes as expected, Astralis should confidently take their pick, and the outcome on BIG's choice will depend on their preparation. If it comes down to Dust2 as the deciding map, Astralis' chances seem preferable.

Prediction: Astralis 2:1 BIG

PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 will take place from February 14 to 23 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Sixteen teams are participating in the tournament with a prize pool of $1,250,000. You can follow the schedule and results of the event here.