Striving For Greatness: BIG Clan In 2025 Thus Far

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Florian “syrsoN” Rische and Rigon “rigoN” Gashi were dropped from the team, and in their stead, BIG welcomed back Marcel “hyped” Köhn for another term as the team’s AWPer, while Can “kyuubii” Ali joined to bolster the rifle positions. With three significant tournaments already played this year, we delve deeper into BIG’s current position, examining what sets them apart from the top echelon of Counter-Strike teams and whether coach Alexander “kakafu” Szymanczyk can lead this roster back to the HLTV Top 10.

Event Results: A Mixed Bag

BLAST Bounty: A Respectable Start

In their first event of the year, BIG made their debut at BLAST Bounty. They convincingly defeated SAW (2-0), but later faced a challenging 1-2 loss against G2 Esports. Although they lost to one of the world’s top teams, managing to take a map from them is nothing to be ashamed of. However, this result serves as an early indicator of BIG’s current position – they are formidable, but not yet at the elite level.

IEM Katowice: A Tournament of Missed Opportunities

At IEM Katowice, BIG began in the Play-In stage and experienced an early setback, getting beaten 0-2 by Wildcard in a surprising defeat. However, they bounced back impressively by pushing through the lower bracket, overcoming Imperial Valkyries and a struggling HEROIC, both with convincing 2-0 victories.

In the Main Event, their hopes were high, but heartache ensued instead. Facing off against FaZe Clan, they had numerous chances to emerge victorious. Initially leading on Ancient, their own map choice, they eventually surrendered it. Remarkably, they snatched Mirage from them, only to succumb in the final round. This loss was unexpected, but the real disappointment came during the elimination game against 3DMAX.

As a devoted fan, I was right there with BIG, standing tall amidst the echoes of ancient battles and firing back at the French squad’s banter. At one pivotal moment, Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz retorted, “What’s up now? Your words fall on deaf ears!” in response to 3DMAX’s shenanigans. But that was the turning point – a twist of fate that worked against BIG. From that instant, BIG failed to secure another round on Ancient and were swiftly taken apart on Inferno, ultimately leading to their early exit in a rather disheartening manner.

PGL Cluj-Napoca: A Glimpse at the Ceiling

At their latest tournament, PGL Cluj-Napoca, team BIG demonstrated a more balanced play style. They ended up with a 2-3 record in the group stage, managing victories over FlyQuest and Wildcard but suffering losses to Eternal Fire, Astralis, and eventually champions MOUZ.

In simpler terms, the outcome wasn’t catastrophic, but it’s expected to lose against top-ranked teams like the ones encountered. Yet, for BIG to ascend and establish itself as a Top 10 team, they must begin to win games of this caliber.

Player Performances: Who’s Stepping Up and Who’s Holding BIG Back?

Jon “JDC” de Castro: The Brightest Spot

Once more this year, JDC stands out statistically, registering a 1.14 HLTV rating. His dependability and influence have proven indispensable, and although he wasn’t initially anticipated to be the team’s main figure upon joining, he has swiftly emerged as its most steadfast player.

Marcel “hyped” Köhn: A Worthy Return?

Returning for a second tour as BIG’s AWPer, Hyped has demonstrated potential with a 1.08 rating. However, his inconsistency continues to be problematic. Yet, his potential seems greater than SyrsoN’s was in the latter stages of his tenure with the team. Considering he’s five years younger, this decision appears to be a smart risk.

Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz: The IGL’s Burden

In the world of Counter-Strike 2, tabseN is known as one of the top in-game leaders for fragging. However, his recent performance has been slower than usual, with a rating of just 0.99. Though his strategic leadership and firepower continue to be vital assets, BIG could benefit significantly if tabseN steps up his game further, aiming to push them towards the Top 10 rankings.

Can “kyuubii” Ali: Growing Pains

Initially finding it challenging to step into rigoN’s previous roles, kyuubii has faced difficulties early on, earning a rating of only 0.94 – a mark lower than that of his predecessor. Frequently finding himself in less advantageous circumstances, the essential point is that he requires improvement. At the tender age of 20, there’s ample room for growth; however, patience may not be infinite.

Karim “Krimbo” Moussa: The Biggest Concern

Originally one of BIG’s top consistent players, Krimbo has experienced a significant dip in performance, with a current rating of 0.99. This is a substantial fall from his typical 1.10+ average. Some of this can be attributed to positional changes following JDC’s arrival, but the truth is that Krimbo’s struggles are the main reason hindering BIG’s progress. He was meant to shine, to make a difference, but at present, he’s falling short in a way that’s negatively impacting the team. If he fails to recover his previous form, BIG’s ambition of reaching Top 10 will continue to be unfulfilled dreams.

The Map Pool: Dust 2 Is Not A German Staple Anymore

Over the years, I’ve been a dedicated fan watching BIG Clan assert their dominance on the map scene, with Dust 2 being their undisputed stronghold. In 2020, they ruled this battlefield an astounding 65% of the time in a whopping 70 matches, making it their iconic playground. However, times have shifted dramatically. Fast forward to 2025, Dust 2 is no longer BIG’s impregnable fortress – instead, it’s become one of their most challenging maps to conquer.

During the initial three months of the year, team BIG has encountered Dust 2 just thrice and lost every single match on it – quite an unexpected change for a squad that was previously renowned for their mastery and success on this map due to their tactical brilliance and exceptional individual play. Conversely, they’ve been heavily focused on Ancient, playing it a staggering 15 times, making it their go-to map. Yet, their 53% win ratio indicates that although they feel at ease choosing it, Ancient hasn’t yet solidified as a reliable stronghold for them.

One significant flaw in their map selection is the map Inferno. It seems opponents exploit this as a vulnerability and frequently choose it against BIG. The consequence? A disappointing 12.5% success rate, with just a single triumph from eight matches attempted. For BIG to penetrate the top 10, they can’t afford to be an easy target on one of the most frequently played maps in competitive CS:GO.

In seven matches they’ve won four times (57.1%) on Nuke, and in six matches they managed three victories (50%) on Mirage. While these stats indicate some consistency, they aren’t particularly remarkable. What stands out, aside from their challenges with Dust 2, is that they haven’t played Anubis this year, and since Train re-entered the active map pool, they haven’t touched it at all.

Currently, BIG’s selection of maps poses a challenge for them. Although Ancient is their preferred choice, their win rate isn’t consistently high enough to establish it as a dominant map. Their difficulties with Inferno are cause for concern, and the fact that they don’t play Anubis or Train at all limits their flexibility during veto discussions.

The Road Ahead: How BIG Can Take the Next Step

For the upcoming IEM Melbourne tournament at the end of April, team BIG has ample time to reorganize and address their problems. However, it’s crucial that they reach peak performance for the BLAST.tv Austin Major European qualifiers, which represents their primary objective for the initial part of 2025.

So, what needs to change?

  1. Krimbo must regain his form. If he doesn’t, BIG will never reach the elite tier again.
  2. kyuubii has to develop into at least a serviceable role player. Right now, he’s a massive liability.
  3. Start winning against elite teams. Close losses aren’t enough anymore.
  4. Improve their Inferno play – either by making it a stronger map or by banning it more aggressively.
  5. Turn Ancient into a real power pick – 53% isn’t bad, but top teams need their best maps to be in the 60-70% win range.
  6. Reevaluate their Dust 2 – If it’s truly dead for them, they need to make sure their Mirage or Nuke is strong enough to compensate.
  7. Look to expand their map pool into Anubis or Train – Other teams are figuring out BIG’s limited pool. Having at least one more map in their arsenal will make them harder to prepare against.

To reclaim a spot among the Top 10, BIG must transition from being an “on the verge” team and begin defeating the world’s elite once more. In the past, BIG was recognized for their robust map selection and strategic profundity, but in 2025, this strength has turned into one of their most significant challenges.

Over the coming months, we’ll find out whether this team’s structure can lead to great achievements or if further changes are needed.

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2025-03-07 14:58