In the group stage of the IEM Katowice 2025 Play-in, Wildcard and FURIA will face off in a match for a spot in the main stage. Both teams have shown varying levels of stability at the beginning of the season, but each is ready to fight for a place in the main stage of the tournament. In this article, we will analyze the current form of the teams, their map pool, and share a prediction for the outcome of the match.
Current Form of the Teams
The average rating of Wildcard in S-tier tournaments over the past month is 6.5. The team started the season by participating in Frost and Fire Europe, where they showed an impressive result, finishing in second place, losing only to 9 andas in the finals. Their next tournament was the BLAST Bounty Spring 2025: Closed Qualifier, where they lost to Astralis 0-2 in the first match and ended their participation in the tournament. At the IEM Katowice 2025 Play-in, Wildcard confidently started by defeating BIG 2-0.
The average rating of FURIA in S-tier tournaments over the past month is 6.6. Over the last month, the team only performed at the BLAST Bounty Spring 2025: Closed Qualifier, where they started with a win against Nemiga but then lost to BetBoom. At the IEM Katowice 2025 Play-in, they managed to beat Imperial Fe in a tense match, where they lost a comeback on the first map from a 9:3 score.
Map Pool
Wildcard will likely ban Mirage, where they have the lowest win rate — 33% in 3 matches. They are most likely to pick Inferno, where they have a 78% win rate in 18 games, or Ancient (62% win rate in 29 games). Dust2, despite a decent win rate, might stay in the pool as it is a less comfortable map for FURIA.
FURIA will most likely ban Ancient, which they have not played for 28 matches. Their priority pick is Mirage, despite a 35% win rate in 20 games, as it is their most frequently used map. The team might also consider Dust2, where they have a 67% win rate in 18 games.
- Inferno - choice of Wildcard
- Dust2 - choice of FURIA
- Train - decider
Match Prediction
Considering the current form of the teams, a tense battle can be expected. Wildcard appears more confident, especially after their victory over BIG. Their strong maps and confident play in the first round of the Play-in give them a slight advantage. FURIA, despite their experience, have shown instability in recent matches. Their close victory over Imperial Fe hints at difficulties adapting to the new conditions of the season.
Wildcard 2-1 FURIA
IEM Katowice 2025 takes place from January 29 to February 9 in Katowice, Poland. Twenty-four teams will compete for a prize pool of $1 million. You can follow the schedule and results of the event via this link.
Comments