After a short break, the competitive season is returning to the EMEA region as well, with action kicking off tomorrow. On March 26, the opening match of the VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 1 group stage will feature a clash between Team Vitality and GIANTX — and we’re here to give you a preview of what to expect.
Current Form of the Teams
Team Vitality
Previously considered an average team in their region, Team Vitality made key roster changes at the end of 2024 that significantly strengthened their lineup and improved their standing in the EMEA rankings. As a result, they won the first qualifiers of VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff, securing a spot at Masters Bangkok 2025, where they finished in 4th place. In their last five matches, Vitality claimed three wins against T1, Team Liquid, and DRX, but also suffered two losses — against T1 and G2 Esports.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Team Vitality | 1 - 2 | T1 |
| Team Vitality | 0 - 2 | G2 Esports |
| Team Vitality | 2 - 1 | DRX |
| Team Vitality | 2 - 0 | T1 |
| Team Vitality | 3 - 2 | Team Liquid |
Despite not making it to the top three at the Masters, Team Vitality remains one of the strongest teams in the region. On top of that, recent roster changes just a few days ago have made the team even stronger.
GIANTX
Compared to their upcoming opponents, GIANTX look relatively weak. They finished 7th–8th in the VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff and failed to qualify for the Masters. In their last five matches, GIANTX managed two wins — against Karmine Corp and Team Liquid. The other three matches ended in defeats: one against Team Liquid and two against BBL Esports.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| GIANTX | 0 - 2 | Team Liquid |
| GIANTX | 2 - 1 | Karmine Corp |
| GIANTX | 1 - 2 | BBL Esports |
| GIANTX | 1 - 3 | BBL Esports |
| GIANTX | 2 - 0 | Team Liquid |
While GIANTX can occasionally pull off surprises — like their win over the strong Karmine Corp it’s unlikely that a miracle will happen in this match. The Spanish club enters the matchup as the underdog.
Map Pool of the Teams
Expected Bans:
- Team Vitality will likely ban Pearl.
- GIANTX are expected to ban Split.
Expected Picks:
- Team Vitality might pick Icebox.
- GIANTX could go for Fracture.
Head-to-Head History
The teams haven’t faced each other in the past six months. Their last encounter was nearly a year ago during VCT 2024: EMEA Stage 1, where Team Vitality won the series 2-1.
Match Prediction
We’re likely to witness a classic favorite vs. underdog matchup. Team Vitality’s new lineup looks extremely solid and will probably not give their opponents even a single map.
Predicted result: Team Vitality to win 2-0.
VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 1 runs from March 26 to May 18 in LAN format at the Riot Games Arena in Berlin. Twelve partnered EMEA teams will compete for three spots at Masters Toronto and valuable EMEA Points needed to qualify for the upcoming World Championship.
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