Banner image: Ubisoft / Kiril B.
Following the conclusion of the Europe League group stage, the second and third best teams in Group A and Group B will feature in today's quarterfinal matches. The winners will play the semifinal series next week.
Here's a brief preview about today's matches!
MNM Gaming vs. WYLDE
MNM Gaming and WYLDE will meet in the first match of the day as the winner of the series will move to the quarterfinals, where they will face Team BDS.
Since the start of the season, MNM Gaming and WYLDE have clashed three times:
- Europe League Stage 1 Group Phase: MNM Gaming 5-7 WYLDE
- Europe League Stage 1 Deciders: MNM Gaming 2-1 WYLDE
- R6 CC BLAST EUL Qualifier: MNM Gaming 7-5 WYLDE
Both teams met in last stage's Europe League Deciders, with MNM Gaming winning the BO3 series by 2-1. Thanks to the marshmallows' victory, the team secured a spot in the BLAST R6 Major Copenhagen.
Today, WYLDE could get some redemption. The roster comes from a very unusual group stage, were three of their four matches ended in 7-0 results — two flawless victories against KOI and Team Secret and a defeat against Virtus.pro. The remaining score was a maximum overtime loss against ITB.
Meanwhile, MNM Gaming survived to the group of death after victories against G2 Esports and Heroic.
Maurice "AceeZ" Erkelenz has been WYLDE's best player in Stage 2 as he averages a SiegeGG rating of 1.26. The German player could be on his way to a first international competition since Feb. 2022, when he represented Rogue at the Six Invitational 2022.
On the other hand, MNM Gaming hopes to keep their BLAST R6 Major Atlanta chances alive. The marshmallows have qualified for every international event since the Six Berlin Major.
The loser of the series will drop to the fifth place seeding match, where the winner will get a better seeding at the Last Chance Qualifiers.
Wolves Esports vs. ITB
Despite ITB's improvement throughout the last months, Wolves Esports are the favorites to win the series.
After going winless in Stage 1, TT9 Esports' change to ITB has proven to be the right move. The additions of Callum "azzr" Hatchinson, Jonas "Jonka" Kaczmarzyk, and Ryan "KangruKenny" Morrow helped the squad to get positive results in Europe's top-flight.
Team Secret welcomed ITB to the Europe League as the roster coached by Marlon "Twister" Mello defeated the British organization. However, that's ITB's last defeat to date.
Since then, the roster has defeated WYLDE, Virtus.pro, and KOI, and secured Group A's third place. Juhani "Kantoraketti" Toivonen and Noah "NoaUrz" Rodríguez have been the team's best players with SiegeGG ratings of 1.14 and 1.10.
To secure a spot in the Europe League Deciders, ITB will have to defeat Wolves Esports in a BO3 match. So far this season, the French-majority roster have proven to be rock-solid in this format, with their performance at the Last Chance Qualifiers Stage 1 being the best example, as they defeated Heroic, Team Secret, and WYLDE.
Axel "Shiinka" Freisberg's SiegeGG rating of 1.18 is the best in Wolves Esports. The Frenchman was key in the team's victory against MNM Gaming, where he clutched two important rounds on Chalet. With six plants to his name, he has been one of the best supports in Stage 2.
The winner of the series between Wolves Esports and ITB will play against Virtus.pro in the semifinals. The Russian powerhouse won the Europe League Stage 1 and topped the standings of Group A in Stage 2.