On February 7, we will not only find out the first EMEA representative for Masters Bangkok but also see one team eliminated, ending their journey for the final international tournament slot. In this analysis, we predict the outcome of the FUT Esports vs Team Liquid matchup at VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff.

Current Form of the Teams

FUT Esports

After finishing 13th-16th at Champions 2024, FUT Esports focused on preparing for the new season. They participated in Red Bull Home Ground #5, qualifying through open qualifiers, and finished 3rd-4th—a solid result.

At VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff, FUT Esports started strong with two key victories:

• 2-0 vs Fnatic – a team considered a favorite for a Masters Bangkok spot.
• 2-0 vs Team Liquid – in their first tournament matchup.

With three wins in their last five matches, FUT Esports have shown good form and a well-prepared approach.

Team Liquid

Team Liquid had a quiet offseason, participating only in Monsters Reloaded 2024, where they finished 3rd-4th in a four-team event.

Despite that, they have won four of their last five matches, with their only loss coming against FUT Esports (0-2). While Liquid appears stable, they now face a rematch against an opponent they’ve already lost to in this tournament.

Map Pool Predictions

Expected map bans and picks for the match:

First bans:

• FUT Esports might ban Haven, a map where they have an 80% win rate but rarely play it.
• Team Liquid is expected to ban Lotus, as it's their weakest map.

Map picks:

• FUT Esports could pick Abyss, where they hold a 100% win rate (though with only two matches played).
• Team Liquid frequently picks Fracture, so they are likely to choose it again.

Second bans:

• FUT Esports could ban Bind, as Liquid has a 100% win rate on this map in recent games.
• Team Liquid will likely ban Pearl, as FUT Esports have performed well on it in previous series.

Decider:

• The remaining map is expected to be Split, where both teams have strong win rates and tend not to ban it.

Thus, the predicted map pool for the match is:

• Abyss (FUT Esports’ pick)
• Fracture (Team Liquid’s pick)
• Split (decider)

Head-to-Head Record

FUT Esports have a clear advantage in previous meetings:

• Their most recent match at this tournament ended 2-0 in FUT’s favor, with Liquid taking only 13 rounds total across two maps.
• Their last meeting before that was eight months ago, and FUT Esports won again.

Liquid has not defeated FUT Esports in over a year, neither with their previous lineup nor with their current roster.

Match Prediction

Taking all factors into account:

• FUT Esports have already beaten Liquid 2-0 in this tournament.
• The head-to-head record favors FUT Esports.
• FUT Esports' flexible map pool allows them to adjust better to their opponent.
• Liquid has won 4 of their last 5 matches, but their only loss came against FUT Esports.

Expected result: FUT Esports to win 2-1.

Liquid will learn from their mistakes and make adjustments based on their previous match. They have had more tournament experience since then, which could help them find weaknesses in FUT Esports’ playstyle. However, that alone may not be enough to secure a win.

VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff runs from January 15 to February 9 in a LAN format at Riot Games Arena. Twelve VCT partner teams are competing for two spots at Masters Bangkok and crucial EMEA Points, which are key for qualifying for the World Championship.