Illustration by: NovaH Source: Michal Konkol / Stephanie Lindgren / Adela Sznajder - BLAST.tv

MOUZ are #2 in the world, and yet for some reason, they are massive underdogs against Team Spirit.

If you believe HLTV, at least, MOUZ are only worse than Vitality right now. They’re not playing Vitality, and yet the bookies have them at something like a 30% shot to win.

Which is… crazy?

This is not betting advice, obviously, but it’s interesting to see where the perception lies in this one. Spirit flew through the group stage while MOUZ obviously stumbled over the finish line, but MOUZ didn’t lose any BO3s.

They’re probably still fine, guys. No need to panic.

Spirit are the exciting one though. They’re the current holders of the tournament, smashed NAVI in the group stage and have the best rifler in the world (and probably the best player, truthfully). It’s hard not to be bullish on them.

MOUZ, on the other hand, haven’t been quite at their best so far, but they’ve shown enough to suggest they ain’t done yet. Since Brollan has taken over the IGL reins – a sentence that still remains odd to write out – they’ve not really had issues on stage, either.

On paper, this one is both really close and quite one-sided, which obviously makes no sense.

Whatever happens, we’ll be sat there kicking ourselves for not predicting it. MOUZ could make this a grindy game and quite easily beat Spirit – they have previously, after all – and it’ll be obvious in retrospect.

If nothing else, we get to see donk in a high-stakes game against a team full of top players in the arena. At the Major. It’s great. Really is. We love the Major.

Oh, and the winner goes on to play either Vitality or NAVI. There is no bad outcome. Just sit back and watch donk go to town.

Pure bliss.