The PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 playoffs are starting soon! Pinnacle is here to preview the eight playoff teams and their opening matches in the quarterfinals.
paiN (+148*) vs. MOUZ (-182*)
The Brazilian team, paiN Gaming, delivered a surprisingly strong performance in the Swiss stage, defeating higher-ranked teams like Virtus.pro, Falcons, and Astralis. Its only loss came against the rising team, The MongolZ, showcasing its ability to pull off upsets.
MOUZ, one of the traditional powerhouses in Counter-Strike, has struggled to find its form in 2025. Despite adding major-winning ex-Vitality rifler Lotan "Spinx" Giladi to the roster this year, MOUZ has underperformed in the last two top-tier tournaments. The team barely made it to the quarterfinals in this event and is undoubtedly looking to prove the potential of its new lineup.
Best bets: Handicap paiN +1.5 (-230*) and Total Maps Over 2.5 (-103*)
Bet: paiN vs. MOUZ odds
The MongolZ (-216*) vs. Astralis (+174*)
The rise of the Mongolians began last year, and they have continued to grow stronger in 2025. They made it all the way to the semifinals in IEM Katowice 2025, only losing to Team Vitality, the eventual champions of the tournament. In this event, The MongolZ advanced to the playoffs with a flawless 3-0 record in the Swiss stage.
Astralis, once the undisputed king of Counter-Strike, ruled an era in the game’s history. To this day, no organization has been able to break its record of winning four Major titles. However, the current Astralis roster has struggled to replicate its past success. Only Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz remains from the legendary era lineup.
This matchup promises to be an exciting clash between the rising stars of The MongolZ and the legendary organization of the past.
Best bets: The MongolZ Money Line (-209*) and Handicap The MongolZ –1.5 (+152*)
Bet: The MongolZ vs. Astralis odds
Falcons (+134*) vs. Eternal Fire (-164*)
Falcons rebuilt its roster this year, signing star players like Nikola "NiKo" Kovač, René "TeSeS" Madsen, and Abdulkhalik "degster". Backed by the Oil Kings from Saudi Arabia, Falcons is an organization willing to invest heavily in top-tier talent.
However, despite this financial backing, the Falcons organization has yet to achieve significant success in the CS2 pro scene. The team has often been eliminated in the early stages of tournaments. This time, Falcons has managed to make it to the playoffs, and the team is determined to secure its first top-tier title.
Eternal Fire (EF) has been thriving in 2025. It reached the grand finals of BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 1 and advanced to the playoffs of IEM Katowice 2025. Notably, it defeated Falcons with a clean 2-0 victory in the IEM Katowice 2025 group stage. Riding on this momentum, EF has once again made it to the playoffs and is eager to replicate its success against Falcons in this highly anticipated rematch.
Best bets: Eternal Fire Money Line (-164*) and Handicap EF –1.5 (+189*)
Bet: Falcons vs. Eternal Fire odds
FaZe (-872*) vs. SAW (+594*)
FaZe Clan made a significant roster change this year, replacing Robin "ropz" Kool with Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski. “ropz” transferred to Team Vitality, where he won his first top-tier title of 2025 at IEM Katowice. However, his former teammates in FaZe have not enjoyed the same success.
After finishing as the first runner-up at the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024, just one step away from the title, FaZe started 2025 on a rough note, failing to qualify for any playoffs until now. Its return to the playoffs in Cluj-Napoca marks a crucial opportunity for FaZe to prove it can thrive without “ropz.”
SAW, a Portuguese team currently ranked #20 in Valve’s rankings and #22 on HLTV, has surprisingly secured the last playoff spot. Historically, SAW has struggled to make it to the main stage of top-tier tournaments and failed to win a single map in such events in 2025. This time, however, the team broke through to the playoffs. Unfortunately, its first opponent is a Major-winning team, making this a tough challenge for SAW.
Best bets: Handicap FaZe –1.5 (-180*) and Total Maps Under 2.5 (-226*)
Bet: FaZe vs. SAW odds
*Odds subject to change
