IEM Katowice 2024 Grand Finals: FaZe Clan vs Team Spirit Preview and Prediction
The Spodek Arena is ready!! We have our two IEM Katowice 2024 finalists; FaZe Clan, the first International team ever to win a major, and Team Spirit, an old team reinvigorated by a young prodigal Russian talent.
The Grand Finals will kickoff tonight 05:00 PM CET, the two teams will take on each other in a Best-of-5 series to crown the IEM Katowice Champion of 2024. Let's look at their journey to reach the Grand stage.
Setting the Stage
After Twistzz departure, FaZe’s last few events had them integrating David "frozen" Cernansky into their team. They came into the event after a successful BLAST Premier: Spring Groups 2024 and easily marched their way to the IEM Katowice 2024 Playoffs.
In the Quarterfinals, FaZe completely outclassed former member NiKo’s G2 Esports and followed it with a 2-0 finish against frozen’s former home MOUZ.
Team Spirit has been on rise recently thanks to their star pickup in sh1ro and impressive performance from their in-house prodigy donk.
After an unsuccessful BLAST Premier Spring Groups 2024, coming in IEM Katowice 2024, Team Spirit and donk donked major names such as Natus Vincere and Complexity to reach the Spodek Arena.
Both teams faced each other in the Group A finals at the event. In the game, Team Spirit, the underdogs, upset FaZe Clan to secure the Semifinals. In the Semifinals, Team Spirit donked on Falcons to become the second IEM Katowice 2024 finalist.
The IEM Katowice Grand Finals Match-up
A big reason behind Team Spirit’s recent success is none other than Danil “donk” Kryshkovets(Surprise! Surprise!). But that’s just the surface of it, donk’s ability on the t-side to consistently get the opening pick is unbeatable (at least at Katowice 2024).
Additionally, Team Spirit follows up with donk very well, they have been trading him effectively, using his mechanical prowess to secure early advantages and capitalizing on them.
Furthermore, the talent pool only gets deeper with zont1x, sh1ro and magixx. They play proactively on both sides and their ability to win duels consistently only makes them scarier.
FaZe Clan is no different, despite only a few games since frozen’s joining, they look synchronized and roll their opponents in their IEM Katowice games.
The team especially shines in disadvantageous situations and mid-rounds where they frequently outplay their opponents, thanks to Karrigan’s experience as an IGL.
FaZe is also a team that likes playing proactively on both sides. They try to get an early advantage, play for control which makes them an exciting opponent for Team Spirit.
IEM Katowice Grand Finals Preview and Prediction
Despite FaZe being the team with the most experience and a consistently top team, Team Spirit have a heavy momentum on their side and come in as a favorite for many.
In their previous encounter, FaZe had a tough time effectively shutting down donk and Team Spirit’s early engagement. They also had a hard time dealing with his entry fragging. He finished the game with a KDR of 2.0, winning every single duel.
Coming into the game, FaZe will be looking to deny donk the early round pick, while also playing on their mid-round strength.
The two maps banned will likely be Vertigo (FaZe’s perma-ban) and Inferno (Team Spirit’s perma-ban).
Reinstating the previous point, Team Spirit’s momentum definitely helps them land an early advantage, but FaZe’s ability to perform on the big stage cannot be undermined.
Especially a Bo5 series on the biggest stage can lead to nerves, where FaZe’s experience becomes advantageous.
Team Spirit needs to secure the first map and convert the early lead into a decisive 3-0 victory. They have to replicate the same brand of Counter-Strike they have shown to reach the finals.
If they respects the stage or FaZe Clan too much, they might find themselves in a pickle and eventually end up losing.
56% of Strafe Voters have chosen FaZe Clan as their team of choice. The game will be a close one with Team Spirit coming in with a small momentum advantage with theirs and donks form.
Follow the IEM Katowice Grand Finals on Twitch or YouTube. You can also follow the finals on Strafe.
Featured Image Credits: ESL
Read More: IEM Katowice 2024 Playoffs Predictions