Team BIG misses ESL One Cologne

After the surprise success of the underdogs last year, hopes were high. Nevertheless, BIG had to retire from the ESL One Cologne today.

Germany’s best Counter-Strike team BIG said goodbye early at ESL One Cologne. By a 0:2 (13:16, 7:16) against the Danish selection Heroic, the Berliners were eliminated on Thursday in the group phase of the prestigious tournament in the cathedral city.
Due to the bankruptcy, last year’s runner-up missed the knockout phase, which starts on Friday in the Lanxess Arena.

BIG had already clearly lost the opening match against the major Danish winners of Astralis on Tuesday. Due to the defeat in the first round, the Germans were passed on to the so-called Lower Bracket, where the losers play a quarter-final starter in knockout mode.

BIG had just won the first game in the lower bracket against MIBR from Brazil on Wednesday.

The final round will be played from Friday to Sunday in front of more than 15,000 spectators daily in the former Cologne Arena, and the group phase will take place without a live audience. The ESL One Cologne will take place for the sixth time in Cologne this weekend, for the fifth time in a row in the Lanxess Arena.

In total, the tournament, which is part of the Grand Slam series, is endowed with 300,000 US dollars.

The top favourites are the North American world number one from Team Liquid. They have won the last three tournaments of the series and can secure the Grand Slam title and an additional million dollars in prize money with success in Cologne.