PGL Cluj Napoca preview: Absence of top teams is a golden opportunity for others

PGL Cluj Napoca is the next big event and will bring together the top CS2 teams in action. With a massive prize pool, the tournament visibly lacks some of the top teams in attendance. This only means an opportunity for other teams to prove their worth and potentially win a top-tier event. Here are the teams you should look out for at PGL Cluj Napoca 2025.

With the absence of the likes of Team Vitality, Team Spirit, NAVI, G2, and more, Cluj Napoca is where several teams that are not in the top four can look to stamp their authority. We have compiled a list of a few favorites, a few challengers, and one dark horse that can upset everything and everyone at the event.

The MongolZ was one of the biggest surprises at Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Katowice. The team secured a top-four placement in Poland after defeating teams like Eternal Fire, GamerLegion, and more. They did have a relatively easier route to the Playoffs than many other teams, however, that does not take away anything from their performance. 

The MongolZ’s biggest strength is its team synergy and understanding of the players. While there are a few players that sometimes stand out, the team works as a unit which allows individual players to shine. The last roster change for this squad was all the way back in 2023 when they acquired Azbayar "Senzu" Munkhbold from Team NKT. 

The MongolZ have momentum on their side at PGL Cluj Napoca, something not many of the remaining teams can boast. The team’s top-four finish at IEM Katowice paves the way for them to play with renewed confidence and aggressive plays.

FaZe Clan is the more popular roster at PGL Cluj Napoca 2025, but their performance has not been up to par in the last few weeks. The key reason for the drop in performance is the novelty of their player five. The team parted ways with Robin “ropz” Kool, one of the core members of the squad late last year.

This year, they brought in EligE, a player renowned for amazing individual performances, but who failed to strike it big in North America. While there’s no doubt about EligE as an individual player, the roster needs time to come together. While several other teams have pulled out from Cluj Napoca, FaZe Clan will use PGL Cluj Napoca 2025 as a way to continue their synergy and improve their gameplay.

FaZe are a team that should see improvement with time. Having played quite a few events together now and having some experience under their belt, FaZe could be one of the top contenders at this event. The absence of their traditional opponents which feature some of the best teams in the world, is a bonus.

The team that finished top four at the Shanghai Major has had a horrible start to 2025. Finishing near-last in both the events they attended is not a comforting factor for MOUZ fans. Benching Kamil "siuhy" Szkaradek and signing Spinx from Team Vitality has not yielded the desired results for MOUZ as one would’ve expected.

However, the roster has potential especially when it comes to raw firepower. With several members on the squad together for quite a few years, the synergy is already set. The strategic outlook will remain the same, and it is just a matter of time of integrating Spinx to this playstyle. 

The bigger question is how much time will this integration take and more importantly, whether MOUZ can actually improve so much to threaten a victory at PGL Cluj Napoca 2025. With the absence of several top-tier teams, this is an opportunity for MOUZ to show some results.

Eternal Fire had a top-six placement at IEM Katowice 2025. The Turkish roster had one change earlier this year when they benched Buğra "Calyx" Arkın and added jottAAA as his replacement. A win over Team Falcons set the Katowice run rolling for Eternal Fire but they quickly lost to Virtus.Pro in the upper bracket next. 

However, in the lower bracket, the team seemed to bring together some excellent synergy and play. The icing on the cake was the 2-0 victory over FaZe Clan to secure their playoff berth. FaZe Clan has had a big roster change and as such is adjusting to the new members on the team, however, Eternal Fire’s victory is still a commendable one. 

Eternal Fire will face off against Imperial Fe in their opening match. While Imperial Fe is a commendable opponent, their presence in this tournament is because FURIA decided to pull out at the last minute. 

Astralis is a shadow of its former self, despite having a few big names on the squad. The team had a below-average performance at IEM Katowice much to the dismay of its dwindling number of fans. However, there is no doubt the team has the necessary firepower. It has been some time since cadiaN joined the squad and the players have had some time to practice.

For a team that relies heavily on the Danish style of play — a slow, methodical, often suffocating approach — synergy is of extreme importance to the squad. With several players having years of experience playing with each other, Astralis has what it takes to improve consistently. Unfortunately, they often fall short in firepower, which is something that might still backfire for them.

However, if they get a few good matchups and are able to pick up their individual and team form, they can put up a strong showing at Cluj Napoca. 

Falcons are the dark horse at this tournament, as they have the perfect mix of individual player experience and firepower. What they do lack is time together to create that synergy and flow that is necessary for a team to succeed at this level. 

Falcons has some big names on the roster including Magisk, NiKo, TeSeS, degster. But probably the biggest name amongst them isn’t even a player, as zonic is the glue that holds them together. The star coach can bring about a revolution as has been seen during the indestructible days of Astralis. But he needs the right players and the recent moves indicate these might just be the right combination of players to take Falcons to the top.

Falcons finished 13-16th at IEM Katowice, losing to G2 Esports. It’s a case of unlucky draws in the group stage that saw them lose to a top team. NiKo losing to his former organization is never a happy sight, but with some luck, and some easier opponents they could potentially have made it to the top of that tournament as well.

With a single group stage at Cluj-Napoca, the draw doesn’t matter as much. Falcons face FlyQuest in their opening match, a series many expect Magisk to win easily. After that, it’s a matter of who they’re drawn against, but regardless, the quality of teams at this event ensures the Falcons should have a much easier path to the playoffs.

PGL Cluj Napoca kicks off on Feb. 14 with a Swiss System format. CS2 fans can catch all the action live on Twitch.

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