NRG had 1 insane map, MIBR had 2 insane maps. I think both teams have their strong map pools and maps where they still need to work on.

And I think for NRG it would be best to let Keiko on Omen, Brim etc. - he is amazing with those and MIBR def. needs to let zekken play Duelist and maybe put tex on Astra when they need it and then zekken or aspas on Chamber. Dunno.

Can't wait to see what both teams will cook up next.

And replace aspas now, too because he played a bad match? They scrimmed with several players.

Numbers are not everything. Look how strong LEV was with tex in 2024... ;)
aspas said tex is good and I think that's worth more than what haters say.

Btw.: Of course Demon1 is great and I really like him (actually one of my favourite players), but there is a reason why he is not in a team. The vibes / synergy has to fit.

Just give this team some time. aspas, tex and Mazino were insane together in 2024, zekken is great and Verno is great. They just need a bit of time. Humans... no robots.

ComeBack still far away from his full form at T2 but the best at Heretics today. RieNs and Wo0t also play well, but the whole system with Boo's IGLing doesn't back their aggressive playstyle - he is always so slow with his decisions.

I honestly think Heretics might should sign a new IGL for the upcoming season.

You can't but root for BBL. These boys deserve it. The loyality, the passion and still down to earth. Much, much respect for these fellas. Lar0k is just... insane.

I think for now he did the right thing. They were succesful in T2 together and now being loyal and going the T1 journey together is smart. Fnatic is just before a rebuild... crashies won't stay forever in EU and Boaster said he just agreed for another season because if the 3 grandfinals 2025. So... 2027 should be kaajak and Alfajer for sure and Veqaj maybe. They will rebuild at some point. Would be ideal to join then... earn more and be part of a big project.

Btw. FNS said this about Lar0k:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBpDSlelA6c

Incredible young man.

Lar0k = upcoming world star!

I hope he gets so cool with Cojo at some point that he joins Fnatic in future years. :P I know... probably won't happen but I wish he would.

BBL 💪🏻

That Czech duo is insane...

Honestly... what is going on with ComeBack? Yesterday I was watching some T2 stuff from him while having lunch and he destroyed everything. He looked literally insane and when I see him in VCT... his face... he looks depressed. Either it's the new location (winter in Berlin), comms in English or everything together incl. the new experienced mates around him adding indirect pressure. I hope so much he finds a way to deal with all of it. :/ Kinda feel bad for him.

Okay, at least he is smiling today here and then. I just guess he needs to adapt slowly but surely. I'm 100% sure he just needs time.

*Edit: 2nd map he looked amazing :) Keep it up, Ryan Gosling.

GG

al0 looks really good on Controller already, seven looks sharp - super flexible player, qpert great IGLing. NINJA is mechanically really good but he still does the weirdest plays sometimes and I feel like cNed is not really taking it that serious... still I have hopes for them. It's just Kickoff. They have the talent and they are def. the newest team with the least experience and 1:2 against BBL and GX (a team that made PRX look woundable) is actually not bad.

I think they just need to work on their execs. It always looked like a matter of seconds.

The Liquid squad will become very good. They have so much role flexibility.

Kinda true. He should play aggressive Initiator (Fade etc.) and 2nd Duelist maybe Raze or whatever. But yeah, as Ini he was sooo much better.

That was easily one of the best maps fragwise from john in VCT. Really exciting match so far and I'm happy for bang of course...

But also... it seems several bigger teams / players seems to have some issues after the break. Not all but some.

shinnok, rexxtoned, GSR, WanZeru, Yigox, wtex, sh0ut = biggest EMEA U18 talents since ComeBack, Lar0k, f4ngeer, s0pp etc. went to VCT!

I don't defend their Breeze - it was yikes. Where did I mention it? But it's a fact that Alfajer just came out of vacation... same last year. Same last year with PRX struggling during first matches. That's all I meant... like losing to eco rounds which they usually never lose later when they are fully into the grind. Fnatic also showed 2025 that a struggling start means 0,0 with 3 grand finals later and kaajak becoming rookie of the year and the only Duelist playing positive numbers vs. aspas during Champs.

GE looking strong but every year starts the same... PRX and Fnatic doing hella long vacation time and struggle in their first matches. xD Still nothing to worry about.

Mechanically pimmie is def. in the top 5. But of course you need to look at stats for a whole season incl. majors and all that. Let's hope 2026 primmie can play a major.

Bro, primmie is INSANE but look at aspas stats for all VCT years... 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025.

2021 - 2024: Leo #1, aspas#2
since 2025: aspas #1

aspas plays Initiator KAST% numbers as a Duelist. He is the best Duelist to ever touch this game. There was only one Duelist at Champs that played positive umbers against aspas and that was kaajak (12:7 kills).

primmie is insane, but you can't compare him to aspas now. I hope so much FULL SENSE plays at a major this year and primmie can show his skills internationally.

primmiiiiiiiiiiie <3333333

Caedye plays like a menace and looks like a model. I mean look at all these Romanian popstars based in the USA... and this fella is blessed with being Japanese-Romanian and insanely skilled in esports. xD Jesus!

GGs

I mean Fnatic are every year again choking the first match, but I'm with you there. I'm a biiig fan of Lar0ks gameplay for a year now and I wished for him to get picked by FNatic when Chron left, but for now he wanted to stay at BBL - which is understandable. They won T2 together, so now they want to go for VCT together. Makes sense.

BBL is insanely strong. That team is still crazy underrated by some. Of course... with ComeBack they were even better but you can see now that ComeBack needs to learn English etc. and has a lot of issues getting comfy at Heretics. BBL just can call in Turkish and do their thing... and lovers rock / umu7 played an insane Stage 3 and Ascension.

Wish BBL all the best. And I'm sure Alfajer, kaajak and Fnatic will come back stronger after this as well (like every year).

That's actually true. Literally every seaosn starts with a wreckage of a series for FNC.

asflkjbnfvijdhasbfijhdofijds

is all i have to say

f4ngeers aim is crazy...

Dude just pulled of a 4K clutch after being stunned and not getting checked (insane):
https://www.twitch.tv/projhrzn/clip/MotionlessThankfulArugulaKeyboardCat-7q5MxvLYjc1eVXLM

Deserved!!!

M8 just got a crazy chemistry... remembers me of Fnatic. Everyone likes everyone, they are just playing so naturally well. Perfect example in the end was that bipo entry kill and then the peek with Waylay stun, then Minny and GLYPH going in and killing the rest on side. Sooooo good!

M8 finally got a team that works together. Minny already showed last season as an IGL that he is insane, but now he has even more freedom and starxo (Champs 2021 winner) has crazy experience, was a nice addition. GLYMPH experienced import (also I love that he said that trashtalk is fun... it's not serious and trashtalk is all just because of competition - what a cool fella), marteen one of the best mechanical players and bipo another great former MOUZ player (NAVI Filu, PCF al0rante as well). Just nice to see this team work.

After all... RieNs good, rest meh. TH needs to work on a lot of their maps. Boo with IGLing way too slow, doesn't fit the Meta. NAVI looks super strong... getting better and better.

GGs was an exciting match. Also... insane to see Filu and al0rante from the OG Mouz team finally in VCt + bipo as well. So 3 former MOUZ players. So nice!

Yeah, even weber said "typical Heretics" after 1st map loss. I think just like they did it at ther first 2 majors it was ideal. But in the end... humans are no robots. We will see what they will do. :) When ComeBack is fine with English etc. things will get easier for sure. Like afaik they hired a English teacher just for him because he actually needs to learn it.

After map 1:

RieNs looks crazy strong as always and Wo0t def. still got the most brutal aim, but Heretics def. need to rebuild their strats in my eyes. Same IGLing & system for 2 seasons now, while NAVI is going super adaptive with the meta... also ANGE1 as coach and Shao as IGL looks very refreshing (and Hiro is simply the nicest fella ever, seeing him destroying people is just awesome).

When it's about ComeBack I think it's 100% mentals that he is not clicking heads. Let's be realistic, you don't #1 after thousands of rounds in the strongest EMEA T2 league with those insane numbers when you are not talented af. Still learning English and needs to find a way to get comfy on the stage (he looks crazy nervous). Read so many hating comments in the chat and on Twitter and that doesn't help.

Okay, for a first match against an very strong team it was good. seven showed why he was part of one of the 2 best NA VCL teams, al0rante showed a really good frst VCT match and yeah... the other 3 need to step up.

I think when cNed finds his strength back and qpert together with the coaches is able to enhance their map pool (Abyss was amazing), they can be annoying to even bigger teams and def. win a series or two.

GGs

BBL is def. insane... Lar0k is so good.
But I'm glad to see my boy al0rante and seven doing a good job. qpert is also doing a very good IGL job on attack.

Wish them all the best. Doesn't matter to me if they won't win big stuff, but they all deserve it. al0rante deserves a chance for years, cNed is a true OG, seven is amazing, NINJA is talented af and qpert is an awesome IGL. Great coaches, too.

Hope they will do well.

3 VCT players still underaged in one match. xD
Sayonara, s0pp and echo. :P

M8 finally look good. starxo as IGL and Minny can freely do his thing. bipo fits them so well with his style, GLYPH is an amazing pickup and marteen needs to words... one of the mechanically best players in VCT. Such a mechanically crisp team!
GG, didn't expect a 2-0!

GG
John played so good, but I'm just happy for koala and artzin. Two players who got a lot of hate and deserve better!

What a match and what a keiko debut. :) Let's go!

Ah wow.

KRÜ just as planned for the pickems:
Dantedeu5
mwzera
Less
Saadhak
Silentzz

I see.

Who is susano? Seems to be talented, but no socials anywhere.

exa and ion in one team is insane! :)

Other languages exist. Same with the n-word pronunciation of a totally normal word in Korean or double meaning of c0ck in English (gun related). It's just a name. :P

renz <3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPWlGve5KHU
That was the vid btw.

His aim feels a bit like the "xeus" style.

A girl who names herself "bstrdd" is already super likeable in my eyes. xD

Stream:
https://www.twitch.tv/valorantleague_dach

I watched a frag movie of that d3nZ guy and that looked INSANE.

What a beautiful 1st map! :) Happy to see Jamelinho with SGE, musashi and monster united again + Fizzy and azury... so much quality. Bodax look hungry af, too.

It's cool to have a variety of strong teams from big esport countries in VCT Pacific and by that a Vietnamese team is def. missing in VCT. I hope Fancy United will get a spot in the future - there are also some more crazy Vietnamese talents in NA Challengers.

https://www.vlr.gg/582829/nfm-vs-neanlatiyonbolm-project-blender-2025-d5
https://www.vlr.gg/582771/ramboot-club-vs-nfm-project-blender-2025-d3

Who is that? xD I never heard of him / her.

So Flicker still Sub?