BLAST Open Lisbon 2025 Grand Finals: Team Vitality vs MOUZ. Preview, Predictions and Results

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

30 Mar

Thales Costa

The stage is set for an epic showdown as Team Vitality and MOUZ prepare to battle for the championship title at the BLAST Open Spring Lisbon 2025. The grand final will take place on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at 3:30 PM CET at the MEO Arena in Lisbon, Portugal.

This Bo5 series promises to be a thrilling conclusion to what has been an action-packed tournament.

The Road to the Finals

Team Vitality, currently ranked #2 in the world, has been in dominant form throughout the tournament. They topped Group A and earned a direct spot in the semifinals. Their semifinal victory against Team Spirit today has propelled them to the grand finals, continuing their impressive streak of performances this season.

MOUZ has had an equally impressive run. After finishing second in Group A behind Vitality, they defeated G2 Esports 2-0 in the quarterfinals on March 28. Today, they secured their spot in the grand finals with a convincing 2-0 victory over Eternal Fire, winning 13-11 on Nuke and 13-10 on Dust II, showcasing their tactical prowess and individual skill.

Previous Encounters

The history between these two teams heavily favors Team Vitality, who have won 17 of their 23 previous matchups against MOUZ.

Their most recent encounter on March 24 in the Group A Upper Bracket Finals saw Vitality emerge victorious. Before that, Vitality dominated MOUZ with a 3-0 victory.

Despite this lopsided head-to-head record, MOUZ has shown tremendous improvement in recent months and enters this final with momentum on their side.

Key Players to Watch

Team Vitality

The spotlight is firmly on Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut, who has been the standout player of the tournament. ZywOo's exceptional AWP and rifle skills have been crucial to Vitality's success, earning him the highest rating in the group stage.

His ability to control firefights single-handedly makes him a constant threat to MOUZ.

MOUZ

MOUZ's success has been driven by their consistent fragging across the board. Ludvig "Brollan" Brolin's leadership has been instrumental in their run to the finals.

Keep an eye on Ádám "torzsi" Torzsás and Dorian "xertioN" Berman, who have been delivering high-impact frags throughout the tournament.

Map Pool Analysis

Vitality has demonstrated versatility across the entire map pool during this tournament, posting impressive wins on Anubis (13-7 vs FaZe) and Vertigo (13-9 vs Complexity). Their Ancient has been particularly strong, with ZywOo averaging a 1.45 rating on the map throughout the event.

MOUZ has shown clear preferences, with Nuke emerging as their strongest map. They've secured victories on it against both G2 and Eternal Fire in the playoff stage. Their Dust II performance has also been solid, though they've struggled on Inferno, losing both matches they played on it during the group stage.

The first ban will likely see Vitality removing Nuke to deny MOUZ their comfort pick, while MOUZ might target Ancient to limit ZywOo's impact. With five maps needed for the Bo5, we can expect to see both teams forced onto less comfortable territory, potentially leading to some surprising tactical approaches.

What's at Stake at this BLAST Open Grand Finals

The BLAST Open Spring Lisbon 2025 championship represents more than just another trophy for these teams. The winner will claim $150,000 from the $400,000 prize pool, while the runner-up takes home $60,000.

For Vitality, this tournament offers a chance to reassert themselves in the conversation for the world's #1 ranking. After their victory at IEM Katowice earlier this year, another major trophy would strengthen their case as the most dominant team in the current landscape.

MOUZ, meanwhile, sees this final as an opportunity to prove they belong among the elite. After finishing as runners-up at ESL Pro League Season 21 (falling only to Vitality), a championship here would validate their rise and establish them as genuine contenders for top honors at every tournament they enter.

Prediction

While Team Vitality enters as the favorite based on their head-to-head record against MOUZ, this BLAST Open final promises to be more competitive than their previous encounters. MOUZ's impressive playoff run, including convincing victories over G2 Esports and Eternal Fire, demonstrates they're playing with confidence and cohesion.

The key to the series will likely be whether MOUZ can contain ZywOo's impact. If they can force him into uncomfortable positions and prevent him from taking over rounds, they have the firepower across their roster to challenge Vitality. However, Vitality's experience in high-pressure finals situations gives them a slight edge.

Expect a hard-fought series that could go all five maps, with Vitality's championship pedigree potentially making the difference in the decisive moments.

Final prediction: Vitality 3-1 MOUZ in a thriller that showcases the best of competitive Counter-Strike.

Featured Image Credits: ESL

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