ESL Pro League S21 Playoffs Bracket Sets Up Possible Vitality vs. Spirit Rematch

Taking a look at the ESL Pro League S21 Playoffs bracket, it’s hard not to get ahead of myself. Yes, NAVI vs. The MongolZ should be a fun clash, and MOUZ vs. G2 makes for a fun Quarter-Final match. But I’m already looking ahead to the Grand Final, and the two teams who are almost certain to be a part of it.

On one side of the bracket, you have Vitality. IEM Katowice 2025 winners, who are looking nigh unbeatable with ropz. They’re getting to the Final, I’m sure of it. On the other side is Spirit. Yet to drop a single map at ESL Pro League, with donk by far and away the best player at the tournament so far. With an inconsistent Eternal Fire and one of MOUZ or G2 standing in their way, I’m comfortable saying I expect Spirit to reach the Final, too.

How would a rematch of the Katowice Final play out?

You may have realized by now that this would be a rematch of the IEM Katowice 2025 Grand Final, which Vitality won in a quick 3:0. Spirit, for perhaps the first time in the history of this lineup, were outgunned, outthought, and utterly outclassed. It felt like the start of a great new rivalry, with two excellent teams vying to stake their claim as the very best.

Now, if things go as expected on either side of the bracket, ESL Pro League Season 21 could deliver us a spicy rematch between Vitality and Spirit, one in which the latter would be out for sweet, sweet revenge. No matter how good Vitality have looked so far, I find it hard to believe we’d be in for a repeat 3:0 of the first match. That would be far too dull a storyline for two of Counter-Strike’s most interesting teams.

Both teams’ supporting casts will be needed

I know that I’m getting ahead of myself by looking at the possibilities of a Spirit vs. Vitality rematch. There’s still a lot of Counter-Strike to be played for these two teams to reach the Final – I just can’t help it. If both Spirit and Vitality are to make it to the Final of ESL Pro League, their supporting casts are going to be needed to play a big role.

Right now, donk and ZywOo are the highest-rated players of the event. It’s only natural that the two stars of these teams top the board, but farming Group Stages is child’s play for this duo. Even if both continue to deliver, they’ll be leaning on their teammates to keep up the high standards if they want to set up the rematch that everyone wants to see.

The good news is that, so far, we’ve seen precisely that from Spirit and Vitality. For Spirit, sh1ro has been delivering big numbers, while magixx and zont1x have been the definition of consistency. Meanwhile, every individual on Vitality has been very impressive – even apEX is coming up huge in the fragging department in Stockholm. It’s for this reason I’m so confident that ESL Pro League S21 will deliver us a much-anticipated IEM Katowice rematch. And hell, am I excited about the possibility.