January 22 will be an eventful day as, in addition to Team Heretics, FUT Esports will begin their journey. They will face Team Liquid for a spot in the upper bracket semifinals. In this article, we will analyze both teams and predict the winner based on form, map pool, head-to-head matches, and other factors.

Current Form of the Teams

FUT Esports

FUT Esports recently participated in Red Bull Home Ground #5, qualifying through regional qualifiers. In their last five matches, they won three but suffered two losses to T1. The team's key roster change was the loss of star duelist cNed, who decided to take a break, and the signing of young player xeus, which could impact the team’s overall synergy.

Team Liquid

Team Liquid competed in Monsters Reloaded 2024, finishing in last place, sharing the 3rd-4th position. They won two of their last five matches, including their debut game at the VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff against KOI. Ahead of the new season, the team changed half of its roster, which could be both an advantage and a challenge in terms of team cohesion.

Map Pool Analysis

Predicted Map Choices

Map Bans:

• FUT Esports will likely ban Abyss, based on their priorities in previous matches.
• Team Liquid is expected to ban Lotus, aligning with their strategy.

Map Picks:

• FUT Esports is likely to pick Bind, where they have significant experience.
• Team Liquid may choose Fracture, a map they recently played in their last match.

Decider:

• The deciding map is expected to be Haven, one of the most successful maps for FUT Esports, boasting an 80% win rate.

Head-to-Head Matches

Over the past year, the teams have met only once, with FUT Esports claiming a 2-0 victory. However, historically, Team Liquid has the advantage, winning four of the five matches between these teams.

Match Prediction

This match will pit the stability of FUT Esports against Team Liquid’s refreshed but not yet fully synergized roster. FUT Esports has the edge in team cohesion and a strong map pool, particularly on Bind and Haven. However, Team Liquid could surprise with aggressive play on their preferred maps.

Expected Outcome: 2:1 in favor of FUT Esports.

The VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff runs from January 15 to February 9 as a LAN event hosted at Riot Games’ arena. Twelve partner teams from the VCT program compete for two invitations to the Masters Bangkok tournament and critical EMEA Points essential for qualifying for the World Championship.