After three days of some hectic Counter-Strike, the complete IEM Cologne groups are now set in stone for 2023. But of the teams remaining in IEM Cologne 2023, who are the favorites to go one step further? The IEM Cologne Group Stage presents an opportunity for teams to qualify for a place at the Cathedral of Counter-Strike, so there’s plenty on the line. We’re taking a look at the teams who will be competing over the next few days to see who’ll make it all the way.
IEM Cologne 2023 Group A
Heroic are always favorites. Credit: ESLCS on Twitter
IEM Cologne 2023 Group A should be a pretty straightforward affair. Where Heroic are involved, victories usually follow. With a star-studded Cloud9 on the other side of the bracket, it’s hard to see anyone else making it out of Group A. If you fancy either of these teams on the server, you can head to GG.Bet where you can bet on the rest of IEM Cologne 2023. Heroic and Cloud9 are likely to be strong favorites in their games, and with good reason.
In terms of the IEM Cologne groups Lower Brackets, Group A has a couple of potential winners. ENCE won IEM Dallas 2023 before the Summer break, so won’t be any weaker. Monte made a great start to IEM Cologne 2023, while Fnatic look rejuvenated with mezii playing as a star rifler once again. We can’t discredit The MongolZ either, who have continually upset the odds at every turn so far, with the new AWPer 910 looking sharp. In terms of underdog odds, these are the types of teams you’ll want to look at on GG.Bet for the best value for money. After all, who doesn’t love to root for an underdog?
Group A:
Heroic
The MongolZ
Monte
GamerLegion
Cloud9
Fnatic
9INE
ENCE
Of all the outsiders, we’re taking Monte to conquer the Lower Bracket. As of now, they look unfazed by the loss of BOROS during the Summer break, and br0 seems to be a good pickup from Astralis Talent.
IEM Cologne 2023 Group B
Astralis are a real dark horse. Credit: ESLCS on Twitter
Group B of IEM Cologne 2023 is absolutely stacked with quality. So much so, we don’t know where to look!
The group has two obvious favorites – Team Vitality and FaZe Clan. We’re not going to go against the grain here. When all’s said and done in the IEM Cologne Group Stage, these will likely be your Group B winners. They’re in the best form, and have the best players. It’s that simple.
For those Lower Bracket picks, this is where it gets a bit dicey. Astralis are a real dark horse, playing their best CS:GO in three years after bringing in Staehr and b0RUP. Meanwhile, the young MOUZ gave a good account of themselves so far. You can never really rule out G2 with the quality on their roster, while the new NAVI team have started strong out of the gate. See what we mean? Out of both the IEM Cologne groups, we expect Group B to be the most competitive.
Group B:
Team Vitality
OG
MOUZ
NAVI
G2 Esports
Astralis
Ninjas In Pyjamas
FaZe Clan
If we’re taking one team to sneak through, we’re going with Astralis. Their start to the season has been very impressive, reflected in our early IEM Cologne 2023 Power Rankings. Expect them to go even further.
If you’ve got the read on Group B, you can learn how to bet on IEM Cologne 2023 over at GG.Bet, where you’ll find great odds in tons of niche markets for the tournament. Given the competitive nature of the IEM Cologne groups, you’re sure to find some great value odds in there.
IEM Cologne Groups Schedule
The first round of matches in Group A of IEM Cologne 2023 kick off on 29th July, concluding in the Upper Bracket final on 1st August. Cloud9 vs Fnatic is our choice for the match to watch, with plenty of questions asked of both rosters.
Credit: IEM on Twitter
Group B kicks off on the 29th too, with the second half taking place a day later. Watch out for G2 vs Astralis here, with these two teams having the most to prove.
Credit: IEM on Twitter
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