This is the quarterfinal everyone circled the moment the bracket locked. Spirit come in looking like the most explosive team of the event, while Vitality are banking on experience and structure to drag them through a brutal matchup.
Spirit
Pros
The donk Effect: The team's recent rise to the elite echelon is largely attributed to Danil "donk" Kryshkovets, a young prodigy known for his historically high mechanical skill and aggressive rifling.
Recent Roster Changes: While the core has been stable, the team has recently seen changes (sh1ro coming in, magixx and zont1x moving to the bench, zweih and tN1R joining) as they seek to maintain elite status
Cons
Heavy Reliance on donk: If their star player (donk) has an off-day or is shut down, the team's aggressive style often collapses, leading to unpredictable losses.
Maybe Overvalued: Spirits results hasn't been what people expect from this line up. They still don't get big enough odds in this worse form.
Vitality
Pros
The ZywOo Factor: Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut is widely considered the best or one of the best players in the world, renowned for his versatility, consistency, and clutch ability. He is the anchor of the team.
Veteran Leadership: Captain apEX provides the strategic backbone and emotional leadership crucial for navigating long tournaments.
Winning Culture: Vitality has consistently been a top contender, having achieved multiple Major titles.
Cons
"ZywOo or Bust" Vulnerability: The team relies immensely on ZywOo's consistency. If he is neutralized, the team sometimes lacks a consistent secondary star to carry the map.
Lapses in Latest Events: They occasionally show shaky form or a lack of focus in smaller, non-Major tournaments, making them risky picks for clean 2-0 wins in those settings.