PGL Bucharest 2025 has not gone to plan and one of the surprising matchups that has come from that is an elimination match between FaZe Clan and Apogee Esports.
The Counter-Strike esports grind isnât feeling quite so formulaic anymore. PGL Bucharest has thrown multiple wrenches into what has been a largely by-the-numbers start to 2025 dominated by Team Vitality, Team Spirit, and MOUZ. Though none of those three teams are competing in Bucharest, the tournament has introduced a few surprising contenders into the equation while undermining some longtime top-10 teams.
In the former category is Apogee Esports, who has looked like a serious threat despite having no real record in LAN tournaments. In the latter category is FaZe Clan, who has looked underwhelming. So how should you bet on this matchup between these two teams?
WINNER TO PLAYOFFS! Complexity vs FaZe â HIGHLIGHTS – PGL Bucharest 2025 | CS2
FaZe Clan and Apogee Esports will play in a best-of-three match for a spot in the PGL Bucharest playoffs. Both teams have a 2-2 record in the group stage, meaning the loser of this match will be sent home.
FaZe Clan ate a tough upset loss to Astralis in the first round of PGL Bucharest, but looked to return to form. The team took a straightforward win over Pain Gaming and then ran through Rare Atom. However, an upset loss to Complexity Gaming put FaZe Clan into this elimination match.
While there are some substitutions in this tournament, FaZe Clan is bringing its standard roster to this tournament:
With EliGE on the roster, FaZe Clanâs best map has been Ancient, where it has a 7-4 record, followed by Nuke where it has gone 5-3. Beyond that, the team is at or around 50% on most maps. The team doesnât have any particular standout numbers when it comes to picks and bans.
Apogee Esports has been the biggest surprise of PGL Bucharest so far, despite Complexity Gaming also exceeding expectations. After losing to Furia Esports in the first round, Apogee stunned tournament favorites The MongolZ and a higher-ranked Astralis to come close to a playoff spot. Unfortunately, it came up against the powerful Aurora squad and was forced into this elimination match.
The Apogee roster has been together since November 2024 and the full squad is intact for PGL Bucharest:
Thus far, Apogee has been strong on Ancient and Nuke, while being generally unremarkable elsewhere with a roughly 50% win rate. It also actively avoids playing on Inferno, with just one visit to the map in 2025. When it comes to looking at the stronger competition it has faced in PGL Bucharest, Apogee has looked the most competitive on Ancient, Nuke, and Anubis.
FaZe Clan and Apogee Esports have not played against each other before. The current Apogee Esports roster has exclusively in tier-two online tournaments and qualifiers. FaZe has been playing in much bigger events.
FaZe Clan is a big 1.34 favorite against Apogee Esports, whose moneyline clocks in at 3.24. Bookies are showing Apogee a bit of respect after its wins against The MongolZ and Astralis, but not too much. It still has the team as a distant underdog against this top-10 opponent.
WINNER TO PLAYOFFS! Aurora vs Apogee â HIGHLIGHTS – PGL Bucharest 2025 | CS2
FaZe Clan should be able to pick up the win over Apogee Esports in PGL Bucharest 2025âs group stage. The team has impressed but its 2-0 loss to Aurora is a reality check. Even with FaZe losing to Complexity Gaming, itâs hard to imagine this tournament sending home FaZe before Apogee.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
