NAVI or FaZe? — Who will take the IEM Cologne 2022 title?

Almost two weeks ago, IEM Cologne 2022 started and everyone was wondering: can anyone stop Natus Vincere and FaZe Clan from reaching the Grand Final? Well, now we know the answer.

Both teams proved to be exceptional throughout the tournament and their global ranks are clearly well-deserved. But now the big battle is about to begin and this time, the format will be Bo5! This means that both teams’ knowledge of themselves, their opponent and the game will be thoroughly tested.

Na’Vi’s path to the Grand Final

Just like FaZe, Na’Vi entered the tournament in the group stage, being one of the directly qualified teams. As a result, they didn’t have to win that many matches. But the ones they won are highly relevant for this Grand Final.

Na’Vi defeated MOUZ, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Movistar Riders, and Astralis to get to this point. And all of these teams have demonstrated exceptional ability either at this event or throughout the season.

FaZe Clan’s path to the Grand Final

In FaZe’s case, the path to the Grand Final of IEM Cologne was a bit easier than Na’Vi’s, but still challenging. Finn “karrigan” Andersen and his crew had to beat 00 Nation, Team Spirit, Astralis, and Movistar Riders. In every single case, the result was 2 – 0 in their favor. This means that FaZe will start the Grand Final completely undefeated.

Grand Final Predictions

When it comes to playing Bo5 matches, what usually makes the difference is more than just skill. It is composure, endurance, map versatility, and so on. This match format is both forgiving and brutal. It allows you to lose twice, but as soon as you’re one map loss away from defeat, it becomes much harder to focus and trust your decisions.

Fatigue is rarely a problem in esports because these pro players are used to competing for many hours per day. However, it’s one thing to play a scrim or a pub game and a completely different thing to play in the Grand Final of a $1 million event.

The pressure is usually huge in these types of matches and small mistakes can cost you the game. Unfortunately for Na’Vi, Aleksadr “s1mple” Kostyliev, their superstar player, is known to be quite emotional. He usually plays incredibly well up until the Grand Final, but then he needs a little help from his teammates in the final match.

Na’Vi lost the Major Grand Final against FaZe Clan. Then they won against them at BLAST Premier Spring Final. Whoever wins this match will be ranked as the number one team in the world. For many, Na’Vi are the protagonist. But realistically, FaZe Clan are the favorites.

Header: ESL|Steffie Wunderl