Aurora vs GamerLegion — Aurora Enter as Clear Favorites
Aurora arrive in Kraków with fresh ambition and a roster that finally reflects their long‑term vision. The decision to bench jottAAA and bring in soulfly has already shown statistical improvement. Their core — XANTARES, Wicadia, woxic, MAJ3R — now has the firepower and depth to compete with top‑tier teams, and recent form suggests they are trending upward at the perfect moment.
GamerLegion, meanwhile, enter the event in a transitional phase. The addition of Snax brings tactical sophistication, but the team has not been able to replicate the consistency or firepower of last year’s lineup. Their recent loss to #103‑ranked BET‑M is a worrying sign, and their warm‑up win over Aurora revealed more of their playbook than they might have intended — something MAJ3R is well‑known for exploiting.
Why Aurora Are Favored
Aurora’s firepower ceiling is simply higher. XANTARES and Wicadia have been in exceptional form, and only PR from GamerLegion can match that level individually. Aurora’s map pool also gives them a structural advantage: Dust2 is close to an automatic win for them, and if it appears in the veto, GL will be under immediate pressure.
Where Aurora Must Improve
The only concern is consistency from woxic, who has yet to fully rediscover the elite form he once displayed in CS:GO. The roster is also still relatively fresh, though soulfly’s familiarity with the Turkish core minimizes the usual adjustment period.
GamerLegion’s Limited Upside
GamerLegion’s strengths lie in structure and preparation.
PR has posted elite numbers over the past three months, and Snax’s tactical mind remains sharp. But the team lacks the raw mechanical output needed to match Aurora in duels, and their recent form does not inspire confidence.
CS2Bet.io Prediction #1
Aurora Moneyline @ 1.52 odds.
The firepower gap, map‑pool advantage, and GL’s declining form make Aurora the strongest favorite of the opening round.
PARIVISION vs Heroic — PARIVISION Looks to Keep Momentum
PARIVISION enter IEM Kraków as one of the most intriguing teams in the field. Their style blends the slow, suffocating structure of the old Virtus.pro with a modern layer of firepower and confidence. They are comfortable dragging rounds into the final seconds, layering fakes, and punishing over‑rotations — all while maintaining enough individual skill to win late‑round duels.
The rifle trio of Zweih, nota, and Xielo has been just amazing. They have emerged from nothing (except zweih) to one of the most impactful trios in the scene. Jame continues to counter the usual IGL limitations by delivering high‑impact AWP rounds without sacrificing tactical cohesion. Their recent deep runs have validated their spot: they really are no longer just dark horses, but a genuine contenders-
Heroic, on the other hand, are still searching for their identity. The departure of TNIR to Team Spirit removed their most impactful rifler, and the replacements have not filled the statistical void. yxngstxr, Chr1zN, and sup all sit below a 1.00 HLTV rating — a worrying trend heading into a LAN of this caliber.
Why PARIVISION Hold the Edge
PARIVISION’s late‑round structure is one of the most refined in the tournament. Their ability to delay hits, manipulate rotations, and execute under pressure gives them a strategic advantage over Heroic, who have struggled to maintain composure in extended rounds. Their firepower is also superior.
Heroic’s current roster lacks a true starpower, and their recent matches show a team capable of competing but rarely can keep the control on multiple maps.
Where PARIVISION Must Be Careful
Their ultra‑slow Jame-defaults leave little room for error. If Heroic manage to disrupt their early‑round setups or win key opening duels, PARIVISION can be forced into uncomfortable mid‑round improvisation. Additionally, as PARIVISION’s reputation grows, opponents have more material to anti‑strat — a new challenge for a team that thrived on unpredictability.
Heroic’s Narrow Path to Victory
Heroic’s best chance lies on Mirage, where they hold an 83% win rate. Their recent 2–1 battle against FURIA showed flashes of promise, but without TNIR’s impact, they lack the firepower to consistently close out rounds against a team as disciplined as PARIVISION.
CS2Bet.io Prediction #2
PARIVISION Moneyline at 1.42 odds
Their structure, firepower, and momentum make them the clear favorite against a Heroic roster still trying to rebuild its identity.