MDL Disneyland Paris Major 2019 preview

With the MDL Disneyland Paris Major 2019 rapidly approaching its closing stages, we take a look at the remaining teams and their chances of defeating the extremely strong remaining field of teams.

We have seen eight teams eliminated from the tournament already, cutting the field in half. The majority of the remaining teams have already qualified for The International 2019, but there are some still battling for qualification, and this will be one of the last chances to do so with those all-important Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) Points.

Quick recap: What is the MDL Disneyland Paris Major 2019 Finals?

The MDL Disneyland Finals is a DPC event hosted by Mars Media in cooperation with Valve. The teams have a chance to accrue DPC points which contribute to their qualification to The International 2019 in August of this year.

The MDL Disneyland Major is the penultimate event before The International 2019 slots are confirmed, and will be one of the last chances for any teams hoping to qualify.  We take a look at the remaining teams hoping to produce an upset at this important stage in the DPC.

What are the odds for MDL Disneyland Paris Major?

Odds for the next stage of the MDL Disneyland Paris Major haven't been released yet, we will update the article once they become available.

Who to watch and look out for

Team Secret

Team Secret’s secret is their consistency. Over this year’s DPC, Team Secret have demonstrated this consistency at the MDL Disneyland Paris Major 2019 by going 2 – 0 in the group stage and securing their spot in the upper bracket. Having already defeated the major Chinese team of PSG.LGD, they will face OG in the second round.

Since patch 7.0.1, the series have been split in head-to-heads with both teams taking 50% of the match-ups. If Team Secret’s consistency is able to carry them past OG, they are heavy contenders to win the tournament and more importantly the DPC points.

OG

OG are big fan favourites for the MDL Disneyland Paris Major for their unique personality. Their spamming of voice lines, as well as their unique underdog story of their journey to victory at TI8, make them one of the most interesting teams to watch. OG went 2 – 1 in the group stages of the MDL Disneyland Paris Major 2019, and even reduced the tournament favourite Virtus Pro to the lower bracket in a 2 – 0 win.

MDL Disneyland Paris Major 2019 had some early exits by teams like Virtus.Pro and Vici gaming, who were two of the favourites to win the tournament.

Coming into the MDL Disneyland Paris Major 2019, OG were considered middle of the pack to take home the trophy. This is because OG can be an unpredictable team which can be both positive and negative. Whilst the OG players’ performance can depend on their temperament, this off-the–cuff play style can make them a difficult team to prepare for, giving them an advantage over more consistent teams.

Evil Geniuses

Evil Geniuses are the last North American team in the tournament, with complexity falling to PSG.LGD on the first day of the main stage. During the group stages, they went 2 – 0 in group D, defeating compLexity and OG to secure themselves an upper bracket placement. They also put in a dominant performance to take down Team Liquid 2:1 in the upper bracket Round 1.

Whilst they have notoriously finished third place in recent tournaments, EG’s dominant performances throughout the initial phase of the tournament have placed them as one of the favourites to win the tournament, if they can keep this high quality of play going.

Ninjas in Pyjamas

Qualifying for the MDL Disneyland Paris Major 2019 via the OGA Bucharest Minor, Ninjas in Pyjamas were one of the outsiders for the tournament. After fighting through the group stage, NiP battled through Chinese powerhouse Vici to secure a spot in Round 2, and will face up against ‘PPD’s old team Evil Geniuses.

The mixed European and American team have performed well to reach this stage of the tournament but will need to step it up a gear to take down the higher quality of opponents they will face. The DPC points are not necessary for a lot of other teams attending, but are extremely important for NiP as this tournament can confirm their qualification for The International 2019.

PSG.LGD

PSG.LGD have a had rough tournament so far, losing a match in the group stage and then being knocked down to the lower bracket by tournament favourites Team Secret. However, the TI finalists have an extremely resilient lineup and an experienced coach behind them.

Whilst PSG.LGD have already qualified for The International 2019, many fans will be expecting a strong finish to the DPC from the Chinese lineup. They will rely heavily on their mid-laner ‘Somnus’ to help dominate their opposition.

Virtus.pro

Entering the tournament as the favourites, Virtus.pro (VP) breezed through group stages undefeated, however they fell to the lower bracket after losing to OG (0 - 2). Fighting from the lower bracket is something VP are not used to, as they fought through the upper bracket at both the Chongqing Major 2019 and the Dreamleague Season 11 Major.

The extra pressure of playing through the lower bracket and facing constant elimination can take its toll on less-experienced teams. But with such a veteran team, VP  are still expected to take a place in the finals.

Team Liquid

Team Liquid’s performance has left fans wanting in recent competitions. Their mid-laner, miracle-‘ is an ever-present variable that can hand his team any series, and single-handedly dominate a game. This mixed with the experienced leadership of ‘Kuroky’, Team Liquid are potent competition for any team.

Liquid have been slow starters in the MDL Disneyland Major 2019 fighting their way through the lower bracket. However, they have defeated two of the strongest Chinese teams in the tournament with Vici Gaming and PSG.LGD both falling to Team Liquid.

The end of the MDL is near

The MDL Disneyland Paris Major 2019 has had some dramatic early exits by teams like Virtus.Pro and Vici gaming, who were two of the favourites to win the tournament, as well as some surprises provided by outsiders OG and NiP. 

However, the remaining teams are all capable of taking home the trophy making the winner harder to predict than ever.