At PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, two teams facing challenging times will meet, each with different goals. Astralis aim to regain stability and prove that experience still matters on the big stage, while B8 will try to show that their young roster is capable of causing an upset. The match promises to be tense, as both sides have clear strengths in their map pools — but only one will emerge confident about their tournament future.
Bookmakers’ View: Astralis Favored
Bookmakers give a slight edge to Astralis, considering them the more experienced and stable team capable of controlling the series’ tempo. Despite inconsistent recent results, the Danes have a deeper map pool and have already shown superiority over B8 in previous encounters. However, analysts don’t rule out a surprise — B8 could steal a map thanks to their aggressive playstyle on Mirage and the strong individual form of their players, though a full series win for the Ukrainian squad remains unlikely.
Astralis’ Current Form: What to Expect
Astralis enter PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 in mixed form. Over the past three months, they’ve played 53 maps and won 22 — just a 41% win rate, showing instability. Yet, recent results offer some optimism. At ESL Pro League Season 22 Stage 1, Astralis placed 6th–8th with competitive performances, but in the main stage of ESL Pro League Season 22, they finished 15th–16th — a step back.
- Astralis lineup: dev1ce, Staehr, jabbi, HooXi, Magisk
In their last five matches, Astralis have taken two wins — against Legacy and HEROIC — but lost to FaZe, Aurora, and Falcons. The team looks strong on maps where they can impose a tactical rhythm, but often struggles against fast, aggressive opponents.
B8’s Current Form: What to Expect
B8 have also shown inconsistency in recent months. They’ve played 45 maps in three months and won 20 — around a 44% win rate. The team looked decent at ESL Pro League Season 22 Stage 1, finishing 9th–11th, but failed to advance from the group stage at CS Asia Championships 2025, placing 13th–16th.
- B8 lineup: npl, esenthial, headtr1ck, alex666, kensizor
In their last five matches, B8 have secured only one victory — against G2 — while losing to FaZe, HEROIC, FURIA, and GamerLegion. They have potential to surprise, but still lack stability and top-tier experience against higher-ranked teams.
Astralis Map Pool
Astralis are expected to remove Dust2 first, as it’s their most common ban and has yielded poor results. The team usually approaches vetoes strategically, targeting their opponents’ weaknesses. Their “home” maps remain Nuke (57% win rate) and Ancient (67% win rate) — where they can execute structured play and excel in tactical situations.
Their first pick will likely be Ancient, a map where they’ve looked most confident recently. In the second ban phase, Astralis are expected to remove Overpass to prevent B8 from using one of their stronger maps.
Overall, Astralis will aim to build the series around Ancient and possibly Nuke, avoiding fast-paced and chaotic maps that favor B8.
B8 Map Pool
B8 typically ban Nuke, where Astralis have high success and strong preparation. Their first pick will likely be Mirage — a map where B8 boast an 80% win rate and feel comfortable even against top-tier opponents.
They sometimes turn to Ancient or Dust2, but have struggled there recently with only a 33% win rate. In the second ban phase, B8 may remove Inferno to deny Astralis rhythm and comfort, even though the Danes have mixed results on that map.
If the series goes to a decider, Train is the most probable choice — a less-practiced map for both teams, making it unpredictable and potentially decisive.
Head-to-Head
In the past six months, Astralis and B8 have faced each other only once — at IEM Cologne 2025 Stage 1. Astralis won convincingly 2–0 (16:12 on Inferno, 13:2 on Mirage). The Danes controlled both maps from start to finish, showcasing their experience and team play.
Prediction: Astralis vs B8 — PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
Considering the current form of both teams, Astralis appear notably stronger. Though both are inconsistent, the Danes display a more structured approach, possess a wider map pool, and have recently beaten B8 convincingly. B8 could challenge them on Mirage, but a full best-of-three victory seems unlikely.
Prediction: Astralis to win 2–1.
