The Playoff Stage of PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 continues with a thrilling matchup — B8 vs Aurora. The Ukrainian team led by Ivan “maddened” Iordanidi has reached the playoffs, where they will face the Turkish powerhouse featuring XANTARES and woxic. Both teams endured a tough Swiss Stage, showing different playstyles: B8 relies on structure and discipline, while Aurora leans on experience and strong individual form. At stake — a place in the semifinals and a chance to compete for a share of the $1,250,000 prize pool.
PGL MASTERS BUCHAREST 2025 — THE AUTUMN GRAND TOURNAMENT
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 takes place from October 26 to November 1 in Bucharest, Romania. Sixteen teams are competing for $1,250,000 and valuable VRS points. The format features Single Elimination Playoffs (Bo3) with a Bo5 Grand Final. The winner will take $200,000, while the runner-up earns nearly half that amount.
After a dramatic group stage that saw MIBR, BetBoom, fnatic, and Ninjas in Pyjamas eliminated, the most exciting phase begins — the battle for the title of the strongest team of the autumn season.
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HEAD-TO-HEAD — A SERIES WITH A MINIMAL MARGIN
The rivalry between B8 and Aurora has a rich history: the teams have faced each other five times, with the score currently 3–2 in favor of the Ukrainians. Their most recent encounter took place at ESL Challenger Katowice 2024, where B8 claimed three consecutive victories, including on Anubis (19–17) and Mirage (13–9). However, Aurora took revenge during the IEM Rio 2024 Closed Qualifier, where the Turks confidently won on Dust2 (13–7) and Mirage (13–2).
This quarterfinal will test how much both rosters have progressed since their summer updates.
CURRENT FORM
- B8 — Youth and Structure
The Ukrainian lineup currently holds #22 in the world rankings and has a 63% win rate over the past three months. Under maddened’s leadership, the team has built a well-defined structure where every player fulfills a clear role.
npl (rating 1.15) and kensizor consistently open up rounds, headtr1ck provides confidence with the AWP, while alex666 and esenthial strengthen the defense.
Recent matches: wins over Legacy (2–1), Astralis (2–0), 3DMAX (2–0); losses to FaZe (1–2) and paiN (0–2).
- Aurora — Experience and Individual Power
The Turkish squad is ranked #9 globally and holds a 67% win rate.
XANTARES (rating 1.21, 89.3 ADR) remains the driving force behind the team, while woxic delivers stability with his AWP play. Wicadia and jottAAA set the tempo, and MAJ3R maintains macro-level control.
Aurora defeated Astralis (2–1), Liquid (2–1), and fnatic (2–0) but dropped points against SAW and The MongolZ.
MAP POOL & VETO
Statistics from the last three months — B8 | Aurora:
- Dust2: 30% | 55%
- Mirage: 73% | 47%
- Inferno: 38% | 50%
- Nuke: — | 50%
- Train: 43% | 75%
- Overpass: 67% | 62%
- Ancient: 50% | —
Predicted veto:
B8 will likely remove Train, where Aurora has a 75% win rate, while Aurora is expected to ban Mirage, where B8 feels most comfortable.
Expected picks:
- B8: Overpass or Ancient
- Aurora: Dust2 or Nuke
The deciding map could be Ancient, where both teams have similar statistics, but Aurora tends to prevail due to aggressive A-site executions and superior mid-map trading.
KEY DUELS
- npl vs XANTARES — the clash between the two engines of their teams. The Ukrainian player offers stability and composure, but the Turkish star has shown greater consistency on LAN.
- headtr1ck vs woxic — a classic AWP duel: headtr1ck takes early initiative, while woxic waits patiently for counter-attacks.
- kensizor vs Wicadia — the entry duel that will define the pace at the start of each map.
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PREDICTION
B8 enters this match in good form, displaying structured discipline and the potential to surprise. However, Aurora appears more mature, experienced, and possesses a deeper map pool. The Turkish lineup features strong individual firepower and exceptional adaptation in Bo3 series, making them the clear favorite.
The Ukrainians can certainly challenge them — especially on their comfortable maps — but to win, every player will have to perform at their absolute best.
Predicted score: Aurora 2–1 B8
