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The StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 continues into Stage 2, where every match is crucial and the pressure is intense. The group stage is taking place at MTK Sportpark, while the playoffs will be held at the MVM Dome in Budapest.
On the second day of Stage 2, Imperial faces Fnatic in a decisive BO1 match. Both teams currently hold a 1:1 record in this stage, making this encounter pivotal for their standings. Imperial will rely on coordinated team play and disciplined strategies, while Fnatic will look to leverage their experience and individual skill to gain an early advantage. Early rounds are likely to set the tone, and this clash promises a tactical and fast-paced battle as both sides fight for a crucial victory.
How The Bookies View It: Fnatic Favoured
Bookmakers consider Fnatic the slight favorite in this BO1 matchup, offering odds of 1.67, while Imperial is the underdog at 2.15. The odds reflect Fnatic’s experience, individual skill, and ability to perform under pressure, giving them a perceived edge.
Fnatic CS2 form. What result can be expected from Fnatic
Fnatic in 2025 continues its effort to rebuild and reclaim its position among Europe’s elite CS2 teams. The organization has undergone significant restructuring throughout the year, focusing on balancing experience and youthful energy within its lineup. Early in 2025, Fnatic introduced several roster changes, including the arrival of Rodion “Fear” Smyk as the new in-game leader — a move aimed at improving tactical depth and mid-round coordination. The team also brought in new talents like Jambo and Jackasmo, while experienced players such as KRIMZ and blameF remain the backbone of the squad.
- Fnatic’s 2025 roster: KRIMZ, blameF, Fear, Jambo, Jackasmo.
The mix of veterans and newer players has given Fnatic a fresh identity. KRIMZ brings experience and composure, while blameF’s leadership and steady play help keep the team structured. Fear adds strategic stability with his disciplined calling, and Jambo and Jackasmo bring aggressive plays and strong aim, giving the squad some dynamic options.
Coaching changes have also played a role this year. After parting ways with long-time coach Peter “casle” Ardenskjold, Fnatic promoted Miks “Independent” Siliņš to head coach. Independent has focused on flexibility, better communication, and adapting strategies to opponents.
In 2025, Fnatic’s results have been mixed. They won Frag Blocktober 2025 (B-Tier, 1st place, 3:2, $5,500), showing they can perform under pressure. But in bigger tournaments like PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 (12th–14th, 0:2, $9,375) and CS Asia Championships 2025 (5th–6th, 1:2, $20,000), they struggled and exited early. Other events, such as Birch Cup 2025 (5th–8th), showed glimpses of potential but also that the team is still working on consistency.
Fnatic’s strengths are solid map control, structured play, and staying calm under pressure. KRIMZ and blameF provide experience, while Jambo and Jackasmo add creativity and firepower. Still, roster changes and adapting to Independent’s style have made it hard to maintain long-term stability.
Looking ahead, Fnatic’s goal is to stabilize the roster, improve communication, and make deeper runs in major tournaments. With the mix of veterans, new talent, and a focused coach, they have the tools to grow. If they keep improving their teamwork, Fnatic could soon be a top contender again in the global CS2 scene.
Fnatic Map Pool
Over the past three months, Fnatic have demonstrated a solid and balanced map pool in CS2, showing consistent results across multiple maps. Their strongest performance has come on Train, where they maintain an impressive 72% win rate when picked as their first map, showcasing strong coordination and tactical depth. Overpass and Ancient follow closely with 58.3% and 57.9% win rates respectively, indicating Fnatic’s comfort on structured and strategy-heavy maps. Meanwhile, Dust2 (56.2%), Mirage (54.5%), and Inferno (53.8%) also remain reliable choices, with the team showing versatility and the ability to adapt to different playstyles. This even map distribution highlights Fnatic’s balanced approach — they don’t rely heavily on a single map, instead maintaining competitive strength across the board.
Imperial CS2 form. What result can be expected from Imperial
Imperial Esports in 2025 remain one of the most recognisable Brazilian teams, continuing their effort to stay competitive on both regional and international CS2 stages. Throughout the year, the organisation has focused on developing a stable roster capable of mixing raw firepower with tactical discipline. The team went through several changes across 2024–2025, aiming to refresh its identity after inconsistent results. By early 2025, Imperial built a lineup around Vinicius “VINI” Figueiredo, who now leads the squad as in-game leader, bringing structure, experience, and a calm approach to mid-round decision-making. Alongside him, the organisation kept promising talents like noway and try, while players such as chelo and skullz strengthen the team with aggressive entries and consistent rifling.
- Imperial’s 2025 roster: VINI, noway, try, chelo, skullz.
This lineup offers a well-balanced mix of leadership and mechanical skill. VINI provides stability and calling discipline, try remains the main firepower in AWP duels, chelo adds explosive tempo in early rounds, while skullz and noway bring steady support and clutch potential. Together, they form a roster that reflects the classic Brazilian CS2 style — emotional, energetic, and dangerous when they gain momentum.
On the coaching side, Imperial continue working with Rafael “zakk” Fernandes, who focuses on improving mid-round reactions, individual decision-making and adapting the team’s playstyle to the unpredictable nature of the current CS2 meta. His approach has helped the squad gain more structure in recent tournaments, especially in high-pressure situations.
The team’s results in 2025 show both progress and growing pains. Imperial delivered strong runs in regional competitions, including a victory at FiReLEAGUE Buenos Aires 2025, one of their key accomplishments this year. They also reached top positions at tournaments like Circuito FERJEE 2025 (1st place, 2:0, $28,643) and made deep runs in FERJEE Rush 2025 (2nd place). On the international scene, they qualified for the CS Asia Championships 2025 through the Americas Open Qualifier, proving they can still compete for spots at bigger events. However, the team struggled at higher-tier tournaments such as Thunderpick World Championship 2025, DreamHack Knockout Atlanta 2025, and BLAST Open Fall 2025, often falling short against top-15 opponents.
Despite mixed results, Imperial’s main strengths remain unchanged: strong chemistry, emotional momentum, explosive entry plays, and the ability to dominate opponents in chaotic mid-rounds. Their weaknesses are tied to consistency and map depth — issues that the team has been actively working on as the season progresses. With VINI’s leadership and a roster full of mechanically gifted players, Imperial still carry the potential to break into the global top tier if they stabilise form and continue refining their strategies.
Looking ahead, the organisation’s goal is to regain a stable footing in A- and S-Tier events, build more confidence on key maps, and translate regional success into deeper international runs. With their blend of youthful energy, experience, and a dedicated coaching staff, Imperial remain a team capable of surprising favourites and making impactful runs on the global CS2 scene.
Imperial Map Pool
Imperial’s map pool over the past three months looks fairly balanced, with the team showing solid performances across most maps. Their strongest map has been Overpass, where they hold a 75% win rate, reflecting confidence in both their executes and late-round coordination. Mirage follows with a respectable 64.3%, suggesting the team is comfortable in more open, aim-heavy environments. On Dust2, Inferno, and Train, Imperial sit at 57.1%, indicating stable but not dominant form. Meanwhile, Nuke remains their most challenging map at 54.5%, though the team still manages to stay above the 50% mark. Overall, the statistics show a team with a wide and reliable map pool, capable of competing on most battlegrounds without clear weaknesses.
Head-to-Head: Fnatic vs Imperial
Historically, Fnatic has dominated their matchups against Imperial, winning all recorded encounters. Most recently, the teams met on November 25, 2025, during Stage 1 of the StarLadder Budapest Major, where Fnatic convincingly defeated Imperial 13-3 on Train. Prior to that, at the FiReLEAGUE Global Final on June 15, 2024, Fnatic won a BO3 series 2-1, with map scores of Inferno 13-8 to Fnatic, Mirage 13-10 to Imperial, and Dust2 13-11 to Fnatic. Overall, across their head-to-head history, Fnatic has claimed 3 wins, while Imperial has yet to win a match, with a total map score of 6-2 in favor of Fnatic. This history gives Fnatic a psychological and tactical edge going into the upcoming BO1.
Predicted result of the match between Imperial and Fnatic Gaming at StarLadder Budapest Major 2025
Given Fnatic’s current form, map strength, and head-to-head advantage, Fnatic are expected to secure the win in this BO1 clash. Their decisive 13-3 victory over Imperial on Train during Stage 1 of the StarLadder Budapest Major shows that the Swedish squad can dominate the Brazilian team when in form. Combined with their solid map pool, structured play, and experienced roster, Fnatic have the tools to control the pace of the match and minimize Imperial’s explosive plays. While Imperial may pose a threat with strong individual moments, Fnatic’s consistency, coordination, and prior success against this opponent make them the clear favorites to take the victory.
Betting prediction: Fnatic win.
