Everything you need to know about BIG: Europe Closed Qualifier profile

Click here for all links to all sixteen of the team profiles for the Europe Closed Qualifier for ESL One Rio.
 

Rank (HLTV/ESL): #21/#25

Invite or Qualifier: Open Qualifier #1

Lineup

• Johannes "tabseN" Wodarz
• Tizian "tiziaN" Feldbusch
• Can “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş
• Florian "syrsoN" Rische
• Nils "k1to" Gruhne
• Tobias "tow b" Herberhold (coach)

Five most recent results

• FLASHPOINT Global Qualifier = 1st (LAN)
• Europe Minor Open Qualifier #1 = 1st (Online)
• DreamHack Open Leipzig 2020 = 1st (LAN)
• DreamHack Open Anaheim Europe Open Qualifier = 5-8th (Online)
• Champions Cup Finals = 7-8th (LAN)

Brief rundown

The high of ESL One Cologne 2018 was a task to live up to for BIG. While the team did manage to earn a Legends spot at the FACEIT Major 2018 in London, the fall was consistent.

BIG then saw its legendary in-game leader Fatih "gob b" Dayik retire last year and Turkish superstar XANTARES is now the only non-German player on the lineup as two signings from Sprout were brought in to bolster the roster. As s1mple’s bold prediction for 2019, many had hoped for more as XANTARES finally broke out of the Turkish scene and into an international team.

Winning DreamHack Open Leipzig was a modest victory in the context of top tier Counter-Strike but a huge step for a team that has struggled as of late.

Player to watch: syrsoN

Even when BIG picked up Owen "smooya" Butterfield two years ago, it was clear the Berlin-based organisation had its sights on the German AWPer. Initially on ALTERNATE aTTaX before joining Sprout, he was finally bought out last year following roster shuffles within BIG.

With Sprout a fellow Closed Qualifier contender, BIG will be hoping that the signing has improved their own chances rather than allow Sprout to bloom by making room for changes in the team.

GINX prediction

Despite the recent surge in performance, BIG's own inconsistency could be their downfall in the Closed Qualifier. They start on the 'easier' side of the bracket and could see themselves through in two wins over Nordavind and the winner of the Apeks/Ninjas in Pyjamas match.

A fall into the lower bracket could bring strong teams facing an upset and BIG would have a tough time standing up to the likes of Fnatic and Complexity in their current form.