DreamHack Leipzig EU closed qualifier set to start

The European qualifying process for DreamHack Open Leipzig has reached the closed stage, with eight teams set to duke it out for two spots at the $100,000 event.

SKADE, Gambit Youngsters, Defusekids and Secret all came through the grueling open bracket and will join four invited teams, two of whom currently in the top 20 in the rankings, in the closed tournament on Sunday.

The qualifier will mark the debut of the new Heretics lineup after the French team signed Alexandre "⁠xms⁠" Forté and brought back Jérémy "⁠jeyN⁠" Nguyen. They face a very tricky challenge in the first round of the qualifier in the form of Gambit Youngsters, who are 14 places above them in the rankings.

Heroic will take on Secret in the first round of the closed qualifier

Expectations are high for MAD Lions after the Danish team managed to qualify for IEM Katowice - their first-ever Big Event - on Friday by defeating ENCE in convincing fashion. In case of a victory over SKADE, Nicolai "⁠HUNDEN⁠" Petersen's charges are likely to meet CR4ZY - whom they beat last month at DreamHack Open Winter - in the semi-finals for a spot in Leipzig.

Below you can find the first-round match-ups for the qualifier:

Heroic vs. Secret
Heretics vs. Gambit Youngsters
MAD Lions vs. SKADE
CR4ZY vs. Defusekids

The German event will take place from January 24-26 and will have $100,000 on offer. Renegades, North, Virtus.pro, BIG and Sprout are the teams confirmed so far, with the last three tournament spots being filled through online qualifiers (two for Europe and one for North America).