The IEM Cologne 2025 Main Stage continues with one of the most anticipated clashes of the entire tournament: Natus Vincere will face FaZe Clan in the Group B upper bracket quarter-final. This isn’t just another match — it’s a true European derby that will determine who advances without the pressure of the lower bracket looming.
Lineups
Natus Vincere:
- iM
- Aleksib (IGL)
- w0nderful
- b1t
- makazze
FaZe Clan:
- broky
- karrigan (IGL)
- rain
- frozen
- EliGE
NAVI are still adapting to their updated roster, where makazze has become the breakout star of the summer and w0nderful is the undeniable AWP cornerstone. FaZe, meanwhile, are showcasing an evolved version of themselves: karrigan’s leadership and broky’s renewed stability combine with frozen’s firepower and EliGE’s aggression to create a dangerous mix.
Head-to-Head — BLAST Premier World Final 2024
The last major duel between NAVI and FaZe took place at BLAST Premier World Final 2024. Both teams had different rosters back then (NAVI didn’t yet have makazze, and FaZe were only starting their rebuild). FaZe won the series 2–1, but the maps showed just how close battles between these two squads always are:
- Inferno: NAVI 13–6 FaZe (NAVI started the series dominantly, shutting down karrigan’s early aggression)
- Mirage: NAVI 8–13 FaZe (frozen and broky broke NAVI’s defense in the key rounds)
- Ancient: NAVI 6–13 FaZe (FaZe seized mid control and closed the map out on offense)
That match highlighted FaZe’s psychological edge in series against NAVI — but now the lineups have changed, and the balance of power might look very different.
Current Form
NAVI come into this match with mixed results. Wins over G2, 3DMAX, and Nemiga proved that the team still has a deep playbook and can dominate on their comfort maps, but losses to Vitality and Spirit exposed inconsistency against top-tier opposition. makazze (1.19 rating) must be the main driving force in their entries, while w0nderful reliably controls AWP zones to keep NAVI in the game. However, their vulnerability in mid-rounds — especially on Mirage — is something opponents have been quick to exploit.
FaZe Clan present a stronger trajectory: four wins in their last five LAN matches project an image of stability. They took down Liquid, BIG, and even The MongolZ before briefly stumbling — but immediately bounced back with a revenge win. frozen (1.14 rating) and broky are in excellent form right now, while karrigan, as always, isn’t afraid to take risks in his calling, changing the pace and forcing opponents to play on FaZe’s terms.
Map Pool & Potential Veto
Map stats (last 3 months):
- Dust2: NAVI — 0% | FaZe — 25%
- Mirage: NAVI — 67% | FaZe — 33%
- Inferno: NAVI — 80% | FaZe — 40%
- Nuke: NAVI — 0% | FaZe — 67%
- Train: NAVI — 67% | FaZe — unplayed
- Overpass: neither team has played it
- Ancient: NAVI — 0% | FaZe — 71%
Expected veto:
- FaZe will almost certainly ban Train — they don’t play it at all, while NAVI boast a 67% winrate.
- NAVI will likely remove Overpass (completely absent from their pool) or Dust2 to deny FaZe a comfort pick.
Picks:
- NAVI will almost surely lock in Inferno (80%) — their most polished map with a well-drilled approach.
- FaZe can respond with Ancient or Nuke, where they’ve looked strong and confident.
Decider: If both teams compromise, Mirage looks like the natural decider — both play it often, and neither has an overwhelming edge.
Key Duels
- makazze vs frozen — both create massive entry impact in opening duels.
- w0nderful vs broky — the AWP battle that will dictate map control.
- Aleksib vs karrigan — a clash of in-game leaders: NAVI’s structure versus FaZe’s creative chaos.
Prediction
This is a classic Cologne matchup. FaZe look more stable and bring deeper LAN experience, but NAVI’s refreshed roster has already proven it can topple top-tier teams.
- If NAVI secure Inferno and manage to push the tempo on Mirage, they could shock FaZe.
- But FaZe have more options in the veto and can close the series out on Ancient or Nuke.
Predicted score: 2–1 for FaZe.
NAVI will absolutely make this competitive, but FaZe’s experience and flexibility in a Bo3 format could ultimately tip the scales.
