The Playoff Stage of PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 continues with a Brazilian derby — paiN vs Legacy. Both teams successfully passed the group stage and now face off in the quarterfinals to determine who will reach the top four. For paiN, this is a chance to prove the stability of their roster after a series of strong performances, while Legacy aim to confirm their status as the new powerhouse of Brazilian Counter-Strike. At stake — a place in the semifinals and a share of the $1,250,000 prize pool.
PGL MASTERS BUCHAREST 2025 — THE CLIMAX OF THE AUTUMN SEASON
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 takes place from October 26 to November 1 in the capital of Romania. Sixteen teams are competing for $1,250,000 and valuable VRS points. The format is Single Elimination Playoffs (Bo3), with a Bo5 Grand Final. The winner will take $200,000, while the runner-up will receive $93,750. After the eliminations of MIBR, BetBoom, fnatic, and Ninjas in Pyjamas, this match becomes the central event of Friday’s playday.
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HEAD-TO-HEAD — A BRAZILIAN DERBY WITH HISTORY
The teams paiN and Legacy have met five times in the past year — and paiN have won every single match (5–0). The squad led by Henrique “rikz” Waku confidently dominated the series at ESL Challenger Katowice 2024, BetBoom Dacha Belgrade, and CCT South America Series, leaving their opponents no chances.
However, this time the situation is different — Legacy have found their rhythm, reaching the quarterfinals after finishing second in their group, with latto and dumau showing the consistency they previously lacked on LAN. For paiN, on the other hand, this is a chance to reaffirm their regional dominance on the international stage.
CURRENT FORM
- paiN — Experience and Stability
The Brazilian squad is ranked #14 in the world and has a 64% win rate over the past three months. Under rikz’s leadership, the team displays clear discipline and structured play. The team’s leader remains snow (rating 1.08), who provides consistency as a rifler, while biguzera and dgt form the core of the attacking side. nqz adds confidence with the AWP, and dav1deuS serves as the main driving force in mid-round scenarios.
paiN enter this match on a three-match winning streak — against B8 (2–0), GamerLegion (2–1), and Fluxo (2–1).
- Legacy — The New Wave of Brazilian CS
The team currently holds #15 in the world ranking with a 59% win rate. Under the guidance of Olavo “chucky” Napoleão, Legacy have shown confident play against European opponents. latto (rating 1.15, 79.3 ADR) is the star player, consistently leading the team forward, while dumau and lux act as key entry players. saadzin and n1ssim maintain balance between aggression and defense.
In the group stage, Legacy defeated FlyQuest (2–0) and Gentle Mates (2–0) but lost to B8 (1–2) and Liquid (1–2).
MAP POOL & VETO
Statistics from the last three months — paiN | Legacy:
- Dust2: 38% | 67%
- Mirage: 57% | 50%
- Inferno: 60% | 56%
- Nuke: 60% | 56%
- Train: — | 25%
- Overpass: — | 67%
- Ancient: 40% | 40%
Predicted veto:
paiN will likely remove Overpass, where Legacy hold a 67% win rate, while Legacy are expected to ban Train, a map they haven’t played consistently.
Expected picks:
- paiN: Inferno or Nuke
- Legacy: Dust2 or Overpass
The deciding map could be Ancient, where both teams have identical win rates, but paiN hold an advantage in experience and stronger post-plant retakes.
KEY DUELS
- snow vs latto — the key clash of leaders. Both players display high individual performance, but latto is more consistent in late rounds.
- biguzera vs dumau — the battle of captains on entry positions that will define the game’s tempo.
- nqz vs n1ssim — the AWP duel where discipline in early duels will play a decisive role.
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PREDICTION
paiN enter as the favorites thanks to their experience, deeper map pool, and stable recent performances. Legacy, however, have shown visible progress and can challenge them — especially on Dust2 and Overpass, where their dynamic structure often brings success.
The Brazilian derby promises to be intense, but paiN possess greater depth, coordination, and individual skill.
Predicted score: paiN 2–1 Legacy
