Aurora will face Astralis in the semi-final of ESL Pro League Season 23. Both teams have impressed throughout the tournament, taking down stronger opponents and surprising many along the way. Now, however, only one of them can move forward, while the other will see their tournament run come to an end.
The last time these two teams met was at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026, where Aurora secured a convincing 2-0 victory. Astralis will now have the opportunity to seek revenge, while Aurora will look to repeat that success and advance to the grand final.
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Contents
Previous Encounter & Player Stats – Aurora vs. Astralis
Team Form & Key Players Ahead of the Semi-final
Aurora – Star Power Peaking at the Right Time
Aurora has looked increasingly strong compared to their earlier performances this year. Several players are hitting form at the same time, making them a very dangerous opponent.
MAJ3R stood out in the quarter-final against Legacy, finishing the series with an impressive 40 kills and leading the team to victory. Woxic also delivered a strong performance, finishing second-best in that match, showing signs of the consistency that had been missing earlier in the season.
With both MAJ3R and woxic performing at a high level, Aurora gains even more firepower alongside XANTARES and Wicadia, who consistently bring star-level impact. If these players maintain their current form, Aurora has the potential to defeat any team remaining in the tournament.
Astralis – A Team Finding Its Identity
Astralis has been one of the most surprising teams of the event. They first defeated FURIA during the group stage and then delivered a dominant performance against Spirit in the quarter-final, demonstrating clear improvement as a team.
Under the leadership of in-game leader HooXi, the squad appears to be developing better structure and cohesion. Players such as Phzy and Ryu are adapting well to the system and showing noticeable growth.
Phzy, in particular, was the standout performer against Spirit, proving that he can step up as a star player even against elite competition. Astralis are clearly in good form, but the real challenge will be maintaining this level consistently over time.
XANTARES Shows Appreciation to Fans
Aurora vs Astralis – Semi-final Prediction
Both teams appear to be relatively evenly matched heading into the semi-final. However, Aurora has delivered stronger results over a longer period and possesses more experience in deep playoff runs.
Considering their previous 2-0 victory over Astralis at PGL Cluj-Napoca and their current level of consistency, Aurora seems to have a slight edge going into this matchup.
Prediction: Aurora to win this match.
Will Astralis manage to take revenge for their defeat at PGL Cluj-Napoca, or will Aurora once again prove too strong and secure a place in the grand final? We’ll find out this Saturday at 19:00 CET.
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