https://www.cybersport.ru/dota-2/articles/eshyo-odin-trofei-dlya-team-secret-favority-i-autsaidery-esl-one-germany-2020

Who will stop Team Secret?

More than three months of unconditional dominance, seven victories in the grand finals with a close score, a series of 15 won matches. For a long time, there was no team on the Dota 2 scene with such statistics. Even the strongest roasters of the past were periodically burned when meeting a well-prepared opponent, but Team Secretseems too tough for anyone. Only the most desperate will decide to bet on someone else when choosing a champion. And there is no reason to expect that the team Clement Puppey Ivanova will misfire now.

The most that Secret’s opponents can count on is some one-off victory in the group stage, while the competition is just beginning and the champion of the last seven tournaments has not entered the right rhythm. But with the Swiss system, the Puppey team will have to lose as many as three matches to be relegated, and even with the most pessimistic forecasts, this outcome seems incredible. And for the playoffs, the level and preparation of all opponents will no longer be a secret, and there Team Secret will surely prove that it still has no equal in Europe.

The statistics speak for themselves, and if someone expects a different squad to win the championship title, then this is more a belief in a miracle than a balanced analysis. There is only one intrigue connected with Secret – whether at least someone can win at least one series against her. Well, or pick up the card in the grand final.

• Win odds Team Secret – 1.50.

Battle for second place

If the victory of Team Secret is almost a settled issue and everything will depend on the mood and motivation of its players, then there will be enough contenders for the second place at ESL One Germany 2023. Given the format of the tournament, even with a difficult start, teams will still be able to compete for reaching the grand final – a 3: 2 statistic based on the results of the groups will not prevent them from showing themselves in the playoffs.

As with Secret, the list of potential top 2 has remained largely unchanged since the pandemic began and went online. First of all, it includes Alliance, which rocked for a long time after substitutions in the line-up, but in the end gained a good shape and was able to maintain it over a fairly long distance. At the previous tournament – OGA Dota PIT Season 3 – the Swedish team took third place, losing to Secret in winners and VP.Prodigy in the bottom grid. But there will be no CIS team at ESL One Germany, and the rest of the tournament participants have already become victims of Alliance more than once.

However, despite all the statements Jonathan Loda Berg that his team is getting closer and closer to the victory over Secret every time, in fact it is not so – this requires not only stable progress, but a sharp leap, which is not observed in the Alliance game. But in meetings with other opponents, the composition Gustav s4 Magnusson will be the favorite.

Another contender for high places – Nigma… The team leader will finally return Kuro KuroKy Salehi Takhasomi… Nigma traditionally starts poorly, but as the tournament progresses, it adapts to opponents, finds comfortable heroes and raspsies, and is gaining form towards the end. The main thing for Nigma is not to fail in the group stage, and in the playoffs, even if the upper bracket is defeated in the opening match, it would be a mistake to write it off.

Concerning OG, Team Liquid and Natus Vincere, then their result largely depends on the mood. It is important for them not to face difficulties in the first matches, especially against lower level opponents. This should not happen with Liquid and OG – the former rarely make such oversights, and the latter will again play with the combat lineup after their return Topiasa Topson Taavitsainen… It is difficult to predict how much NAVI are ready to show their maximum – the team has long been an unchanging backbone, but its results are not so stable. But given that there are eight places in the playoffs, and there are not many real competitors for NAVI, getting into the elimination stage is a minimum program for them. And only in the most unfavorable scenario, it will not be executed.

• Win odds Alliance – 8.00.
• Win odds OG – 7.00.
• Win odds Nigma – 7.00.
• Win odds Team Liquid – 10.00.
• Win odds Natus Vincere – 10.00.

Entering the playoffs is already a success

Above we have listed only six teams, but there will be eight playoff slots at ESL One Germany 2023. Several teams are competing for the remaining two places. And if they can cope with this task, then only a happy coincidence of circumstances will allow them to go beyond the first round. The only exception is the mix mudgolems – he got together just before the qualifiers and did not meet any resistance there, beating all opponents with a clean sheet. This team, like no other in the list of ESL One Germany 2023 participants, fits the definition of a “dark horse”. The team has gathered quite famous players, and no one knows how this roster will show itself in the battles with the leading clubs in the region.

The teams that already have a good experience of playing in such tournaments are also contenders for getting into the playoffs – 5men, Ninjas in Pajamas and ViKin.gg… The first team consists of e-sportsmen not only with a huge track record, but also with titles at major international competitions. Despite the fact that they have not demonstrated their peak form for a long time, it is the factor of solid experience in difficult matches that can play to their advantage. NiP after leaving Akbara SoNNeikO Butaeva significantly slowed down, but they still have a set of simulated strategies and developed mutual understanding. ViKin.gg is a real breakthrough this year, but the team still needs time to consistently compete with the giants.

Two representatives of the CIS also have small ambitions to reach the playoffs. HellRaisersdespite a good start after the outbreak of the pandemic, we were mired in reshuffles. At ESL One Germany 2023 they will perform with Ilya Lil Ilyuk – Dota PIT Season 3 showed that he has more than enough motivation to return to a high level. But it is far from the fact that Ilyuk will fit into HR as well as it happened with VP.Prodigy. As for Cyber ​​legacy, then this is a typical team from the CIS, assembled by an organization from available free agents. The names of the players have been known to everyone for several years, but they all hit the ceiling of their capabilities. Of course, in Dota there are times when average performers get together and manage to fight on equal terms with strong and stable lineups, but this happens extremely rarely. This team shouldn’t have taken part in ESL One Germany at all – they received an invite only because Virtus.pro withdrew from the tournament.

• Win odds 5men – 50.00.
• Win odds Ninjas in Pajamas – 50.00.
• Win odds mudgolems – 100.00.
• Win odds ViKin.gg – 35.00.
• Win odds HellRaisers – 75.00.
• Win odds Cyber ​​legacy – 40.00.

In search of hidden reserves

The rest of the ESL One Germany 2023 participants are unlikely to claim anything. For them, participation in a tournament is more of a training session in a combat mode, a chance to play against top teams and take something useful out of these matches. Some teams have already performed at tournaments more than once and have not shown anything outstanding, others just got together and did not have time to reach the desired level of chemistry, and still others are assembled from players who always wander from team to team, while they never reach any good level. To advance to the playoffs, you need to win at least three matches. And among the participants of ESL One Germany there are several teams that can hardly cope with this task.

EXTREMUM and Winstrike Team have long been unable to overcome a certain barrier. Sometimes they are able to take prizes or even win tournaments at a level lower than ESL One Germany 2023, but they just can’t get to a new height. And even replacements do not lead to any development. Mix Yaroslava Miposhka Naydenova Yellow submarineis rumored to be going to Team Spirit… Although he was assembled before the tournament, he took only third place in the qualifiers for ESL One Germany and, frankly, did not show anything outstanding. The only chance for the roster is young players who can reach a new level. Otherwise, many teams will not even notice Miposhka’s mix in a face-to-face fight. And at TEMPO even there is simply no such option: the level of the Balkans Nikola LeBronDota Popovic, Dino dnz Shavuk and Damir Mitch Shkarichich Adilovich viewers have seen many times, and the results show that passing qualifications is their maximum.

• Win odds EXTREMUM – 251.00.
• Win odds Winstrike Team – 200.00.
• Win odds Yellow submarine – 200.00.
• Win odds TEMPO – 251.00.

The odds are taken from the site of the Parimatch betting company and are relevant at the time of publication of the material. After registration, a 100% bonus on the first deposit is valid.