The Playoff Stage of PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 continues with a clash between Team Liquid and SAW. The North American giants face the Portuguese squad in a battle for a place in the semifinals. Liquid enter this match as favorites, but SAW have repeatedly shown that they can defy predictions — especially on LAN. Ahead lies a matchup between two distinct philosophies of play: Liquid’s calm, control-oriented approach versus SAW’s fast, aggressive strategy.
PGL MASTERS BUCHAREST 2025 — THE CLIMAX OF THE AUTUMN SEASON
The PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 takes place from October 26 to November 1 in the Romanian capital. Sixteen teams compete for $1,250,000 and valuable VRS points. The Playoffs are played in a Single Elimination (Bo3) format, with the Grand Final in Bo5. The winner receives $200,000, while the runner-up takes home nearly half that amount. After the group stage, which saw the eliminations of MIBR, BetBoom, and Ninjas in Pyjamas, the tournament enters its decisive phase — the battle among the best for the main title of the autumn season.
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HEAD-TO-HEAD — THE FIRST MAJOR MEETING
For Liquid and SAW, this will be their first head-to-head encounter of the current season. Both teams advanced confidently through the group stage, but their paths to the quarterfinals were quite different. Liquid, led by Viktor “flashie” Tamás Bea, play a measured and disciplined brand of CS, focusing on synchronized rotations and economic control. SAW, under Tiago “mowzassa” Rodrigues, employ a more direct and aggressive style, centered around fast entry plays and early trading scenarios.
Liquid currently sit at #12 in the world rankings, while SAW hold #37, though the Portuguese team have shown significant progress and stability on the international stage over the past three months.
CURRENT FORM
- Liquid — Structure, Stability, and Experience
The team holds a 60% win rate and enters the quarterfinals with three straight victories — against FlyQuest, BetBoom, and Legacy.
The leader remains NAF (rating 1.13, 77.4 ADR), the team’s engine in clutch situations and retakes. NertZ provides stability in positional play, while siuhy adds aggression and controls the pace of rounds. Under flashie’s guidance, the team looks harmonious and displays some of the cleanest tactical executions in the tournament.
- SAW — Portuguese Discipline and Confidence
Despite being underdogs, SAW approach this match with three consecutive victories — against Aurora, GamerLegion, and Ninjas in Pyjamas. The team has maintained a 63% win rate over the last three months, with story (rating 1.15, 77.2 ADR) as their main driving force. The experienced MUTiRiS coordinates the team’s actions, while Ag1l and aragornN provide stability in post-plant situations. SAW often use unconventional T-side rotations, including fast mid transitions, forcing opponents into reactive play.
MAP POOL & VETO
Statistics over the last three months — Liquid | SAW:
- Dust2: 56% | 71%
- Mirage: 69% | —
- Inferno: 50% | 38%
- Nuke: 38% | 69%
- Train: 33% | 67%
- Overpass: — | —
- Ancient: 78% | 55%
Predicted veto:
Liquid will most likely ban Train, where they have almost no official matches, while SAW are expected to remove Overpass, which Liquid tend to avoid due to weak defensive efficiency.
Expected picks:
- Liquid: Ancient or Mirage
- SAW: Nuke or Dust2
The deciding map could be Inferno — a classic for both teams, where Liquid’s discipline and NAF’s experience could be decisive in the late rounds.
KEY DUELS
- NAF vs story — the central duel of the series. Both players have similar efficiency stats, but NAF is more consistent under pressure, while story can explode in individual moments.
- NertZ vs MUTiRiS — the clash of captains and anchors. Control over the A-site on Ancient could determine the outcome of several maps.
- siuhy vs Ag1l — the entry duel that will dictate the pace in the opening rounds and determine whether SAW can impose their rhythm.
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PREDICTION
Liquid enter the quarterfinals in optimal form, with a deep map pool and experienced leadership. SAW, meanwhile, stand out for their motivation and creative tactical decisions but may struggle with consistency in a Bo3 series. If Liquid maintain their tempo and assert their control-based playstyle, they have every chance to reach the semifinals.
Predicted score: Liquid 2–1 SAW
