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The StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is now in Stage 2, where every match is important and the pressure is high. The group stage is at MTK Sportpark, and the playoffs will take place at the MVM Dome in Budapest.
Day 1 of Stage 2 features a BO1 between Team Liquid and B8. With just one map to decide the winner, both teams need to play carefully. Liquid will rely on their experience and teamwork to control the game, while B8 will try to use fast plays and individual skill to gain an edge. Early rounds will be key, and the match will show which team can adapt better under pressure.
How The Bookies View It: Team Liquid Favoured
Bookmakers see Team Liquid as slight favorites for this BO1 matchup, with odds of 1.82 compared to B8’s 1.97. The odds reflect Liquid’s experience and more consistent results at international events, giving them a small edge. B8, while capable of fast-paced and aggressive plays, enters as the underdog, meaning the match could still be close and competitive.
B8 form. What result can be expected from B8
Our betting tips and CS2 picks for the B8 vs Liquid matchup begin with analyzing B8 form. Considered a potential dark horse of the tournament, B8 came in as a tier 2–3 level team and started racking up wins at the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025. They advanced through Stage 1 with three straight victories and now sit in the 2–1 bracket in Stage 2. This turnaround was made possible by their extensive tournament participation and dedicated training.
Throughout the 2024 season, B8 achieved several notable results for a club of its size. They placed in the top four at both the RES Eastern European Masters: Spring 2024 and RES European Series #2. Mid-year, they won several tier-B tournaments, becoming champions of CCT Season 2 European Series #2, Elisa Invitational Spring 2024, and CCT Season 2 European Series #5.
- B8 roster: kensizor, npl, esenthial, headtr1ck, alex666.
B8 is a relatively young team, but their tournament participation is impressive. With such a high volume of matches, they’re a reliable pick for CS2 betting picks. In 2024 alone, they played in 50 tournaments—too many to detail here—so we’ll focus on the most significant ones. They competed in CCT Season 2: European Series #12 and #13, finishing in the top 8.
Right before the Shanghai Major 2024: European RMR B, they placed top 4 at Elisa Masters Espoo 2024 and took 2nd place at ESL Challenger Katowice 2024.
At the PW Shanghai Major 2024: European RMR B, B8 Long started with a loss to Team Spirit, which was expected. They then fell to Aurora, who ranked higher in the HLTV standings. B8 ultimately finished in the top 16 of the RMR.
B8 entered the 2025 season with new goals and renewed motivation. They began with the BLAST Bounty Spring 2025: Closed Qualifier, finishing in the top 32 after a loss to G2. They then reached the top 8 in CCT Season 2 European Series #16, top 4 in Series #17, and claimed victory in Series #18—one of their biggest wins of the season.
Leading up to BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, B8 participated in more events, including the CCT Season 2 Global Finals, where they earned top-2 and top-3 finishes at MESA Nomadic Masters Spring 2025, and won the ESL Challenger League Season 49: Europe. They qualified for the Major through the European qualifiers, finishing approximately 6th.
As mentioned earlier, B8 made a strong impression in the first stage of BLAST.tv Austin Major, finishing with a 3–0 record and proving themselves as a competitive and capable team. However, in the second stage of the tournament, the team played somewhat worse, dropping out with a 2-3 record and finishing 17-19th.
B8 performed well at StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2025. Although the team started with a loss and fell to the lower bracket, they played well there. In the first match, they defeated OG 2-1, in the Lower Bracket Quarterfinals beat Passion UA 2-0, in the Lower Bracket Semifinal defeated M8 2-1. In the Lower Bracket Final, the team played against a stronger opponent — Ninjas in Pyjamas — and although they played quite well, they lost 0-2, finishing 3rd at the tournament.
B8 also played at ESL Pro League Season 22 and CS Asia Championships 2025, but unsuccessfully, finishing top-19 and top-16 respectively
B8 Map Pool
Over the past three months, the Ukrainian team B8 has shown stable results across various maps. Their most successful map is Mirage, with a 72.7% win rate, making it their primary pick. Next comes Overpass with 66.7%, indicating strong tactical awareness and confident map control. Ancient remains a balanced battleground with a 50% win rate. The team shows less consistency on Train (42.9%) and Inferno (37.5%), while their most challenging map appears to be Dust2, where they manage only a 30% win rate.
Team Liquid form. What result can be expected from Team Liquid
Team Liquid in 2025 continued to strengthen their position on the international CS2 scene, demonstrating stability, high-level gameplay, and the ability to adapt to challenging situations. At the start of the year, a key event was the return of EliGE to the roster, giving the team an aggressive and confident playstyle. Additionally, the roster was strengthened by NertZ and siuhy, who took on the roles of versatile player and captain respectively, while young talent ultimate continued to impress, showing a high individual skill level and potential for further growth.
- Team Liquid’s 2025 roster: EliGE, NAF, NertZ, siuhy, ultimate.
The coaching staff included experienced flashie, with DeMars DeRover handling analytical duties, which allowed the team to improve communication, strategic discipline, and map flexibility. Early in the season, these changes were reflected in more coordinated team play and effective player synergy, which became evident from their tournament results.
The season began with BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, where Team Liquid had a disappointing performance, finishing 15–16th with a 1–2 record and earning $15,000. Despite this slow start, the team immediately focused on correcting mistakes and improving their gameplay. At the ESL Pro League Season 22: European Qualifier, the team showed more structured play but still faced difficulties, finishing 9–16th. At Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2025, Team Liquid again failed to reach the playoffs, finishing 13–16th and earning $10,000, though they showed notable progress in individual performance and tactical decisions.
August proved to be a busy month: at the BLAST Bounty Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier, they successfully advanced from the group stage with a 2–1 record, and at the main BLAST Bounty Fall 2025 tournament, they finished 5–8th, earning $18,750. At the Esports World Cup 2025, Team Liquid finished 9–16th, earning $20,000, but displayed resilience and the ability to maintain focus in high-pressure situations. The team also participated in the BLAST Open Fall 2025: Closed Qualifier, finishing 9–12th with a 0–2 record, adding $7,500 to their prize fund.
The September period of the season was more productive: at FISSURE Playground #2, the team finished 3–4th, losing a close series 1–2 and earning $40,000. At the Birch Cup 2025, Team Liquid finished third with a 2–0 record and $1,700 in prize money. These tournaments showed that Team Liquid could perform at a high level in offline events and compete with top European and Asian teams, consistently demonstrating solid individual preparation and team coordination.
In October, Team Liquid competed at the CS Asia Championships 2025, confidently defeating opponents 2–0 and finishing third, earning $60,000. Following that, in the tournament opener at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, Team Liquid managed a narrow 2–1 victory over the Brazilian squad Legacy, showing their ability to adapt under pressure and maintain composure in tight matches. However, in their second match of the event, Liquid fell to Aurora Gaming 2–1, despite winning the first map. The defeat highlighted the team’s inconsistency in closing out series against disciplined opponents but also showed promising signs in terms of map control and early-round execution.
It is worth noting the dynamics of the team’s performance throughout the season. Despite several early setbacks, Team Liquid systematically analyzed mistakes, adjusted player roles, and improved map communication. A key factor was the role rotation between NAF and NertZ, which allowed them to diversify tactical approaches and adapt to different types of opponents. EliGE and ultimate provided stable fragging and leadership in crucial moments, helping the team maintain map control and win critical rounds.
Overall, Team Liquid in 2025 showed that they remain one of the stable teams on the international CS2 scene. Despite some setbacks at major tournaments, including the 2–1 loss to Aurora at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, the team managed to improve communication, adapt to different opponents, and demonstrate coordinated play. The roster and coaching staff showed they could work together, fix mistakes, and find new tactics. The season’s results, including the confident start and competitive showing at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, indicate that Liquid have everything needed to remain competitive and continue fighting for good placements in major tournaments, with each upcoming match offering a chance to consolidate their position and gain further experience.
Team Liquid Map Pool
Over the past three months, Team Liquid’s performance on different CS2 maps has been a mix of strong results and clear challenges. Their best map has been Ancient, where they won 70% of their matches, showing that they feel confident with rotations, site takes, and overall map control. Mirage has also been a reliable choice, especially as a first pick, with a 61.5% win rate, thanks to solid mid-control and coordinated team plays. Dust2 remains a playable map for them, with a 56.2% win rate, though it’s not as dominant as Ancient or Mirage. On the other hand, Nuke has been tricky, with a 42.9% win rate, as the team struggles with coordinated site pushes and holding key positions. Inferno was even harder, winning only 40% of games, mainly due to difficulties controlling banana and breaking well-set defenses. Train proved to be the toughest for Liquid, with just a 25% win rate, showing that both rotations and strategies need improvement to compete at the highest level. Overall, while the team has clear strong maps, there’s still work to do on the weaker ones to make their map pool more balanced and versatile in upcoming tournaments.
Head-to-Head: Team Liquid vs B8
According to recent match trackers, Team Liquid and B8 have never met in an official Counter‑Strike (CS2) match before. This upcoming BO1 at Stage 2 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 will be their first-ever encounter, making the matchup unpredictable. Both teams will need to quickly adapt to each other’s playstyle, with Liquid relying on experience and structured teamwork, while B8 looks to challenge them with fast-paced and aggressive plays. The lack of prior history adds an extra layer of intrigue to this clash.
Predicted result of the match Team Liquid – B8 at StarLadder Budapest Major 2025
Team Liquid enters this BO1 as the favorite, thanks to their experience, structured gameplay, and strong individual skill across all roles. B8, while capable of fast and aggressive plays, may struggle to match Liquid’s coordination and map control. Expect Liquid to take early rounds seriously, maintain map tempo, and capitalize on B8 mistakes. Still, B8’s unpredictable style could make some rounds competitive, especially on maps like Mirage and Overpass where they’ve shown solid form recently. Overall, Liquid is likely to secure the win, but the match could feature close and tense moments.
Betting prediction: Team Liquid win.
