Yeah, I mean Less even wanted to stay and he was kinda close with Derke, made arrangements for his dad to come and all that. And then PAL literally removed him. Also - did you see how they announced Chronicle? Dirty. And they also signed Sayonara even though they 100% knew Fnatic wanted him and he played with Fnatic in the offseason. That's why I think Vitality losing is super satisfying. I don't know if most of the things can be tracked back to their head coach PAL, but the fact how all these things happened are rough. And also Less and Derke asked for more freedom in their playstyle and PAL denied that - another bad decision (just look at how bad they're playing now... winning so many crazy strong rounds).

When it comes to KC and Saadhak I don't know how it went in the end but I guess he had a standard 1 season contract. Their welcome show for Saadhak and the others was INSANE. They filled a arena with dozens of thousands of people and he was celebrated like a superstar. I think KC did a great job with most of their players (marteen and N4RRATE also said they have a pretty good structure) and I bet he got paid well. KC def. have big time money, just like Gentle Mates, KRÜ etc. - all the teams with big names behind. I mean... marteen, SUYGETSU and Saadhak in one team was def. a strong core - they won against G2 and they had some really good matches but I think overall it was a bad project because KC are also way too quick with the changes in my eyes and just as you mentioned - Engh didn't give Saadhak enough freedom.

In the end... good to see that Less and Saadhak are united again and it's going well for them.

I'm with you there. They treat some of their players like crap. Vitality... ;)
Less deserved better. 100%.

Seems you know exactly how transfers and contracts work. 🤡🤡🤡

This was almost perfect Valorant from KRÜ today regarding the still existing meta. Less and Saadhak in a team together again... feels just amazing to watch them play like that. Honestly... I think NRG seemed a bit off but still - KRÜ were 2 levels better today.

GGs was fun to watch

trent is by far the most consistently playing Initiator since Leo stopped playing.

When Neon and Sato go 100%, they win.

Who is still doubting artzin? Dude is one of the mechanically strongest IGLs.

s0pp is such an entry beast... he will get BRUTAL this year. One of my fav. players for sure.

purp0 / Liquid looking better and better, but still some details to work on - especially egainst teams who are mechanically as insanely strong as FUT.

Never been so torn apart for a match beside of maybe PRX vs. FNC.

PCF with my bro al0rante... can't root against him.

GGs Absolutley deserved win. Vitality look bad, tbh.

I wish we could have seen Sayonara develope at Fnatic – under Boaster.

I could def. see Sayonara like Verno in the future and also becoming an IGL. Dude is a true Flex, insanely smart and professional for just being 18 - AND he is mechanically gifted. Great career ahead of him.

Favian also super friendly dude... big W for his interview!

This match will be fire! :)

marteen said he had 2 bad games and finally feels good again and will be better today... and he is. Dude is just crazy.

But also nice to see Beko aka Ryan Gosling aka ComeBack again... I just like this fella. Chloric fits NAVI so well, too. And every team with Hiro gets +10 sympathy anyways.

But yeah... whaaat a finish of GLYPH!

GGs, was a cool match!

The mechanics of players like Lar0k are insanely good, but I think overall the team is a bit too "careless" sometimes. Probably because they are so young and just want to win the duels. GX had some crazy issues in the weeks before... like losing against several Tier 2 teams in the OS, but now... they keep finding their strength back and as Flickless said the energy makes a lot and they also keep on believing in the strats they made up before the matches (that was btw. pretty much how EG won Champs in 2023... they were praccing strats up to 11 hours per day and then sticking to it).

I'm sure when BBL will get a bit more chill and stay "cool" in some heated moments, they will get more succesful. Mechanically they're peak.

GGs, crazy match.

GSR and Kicks are so damn good but I didn't expect them to lose this. sunfloweR also for sure one of the biggest upcoming talents.

Just found out that "GSR" stands for a Serbian slang word called "Gaser" and that he used to pick that name before and it means something smilar to flexing regarding to Google... like "high energy lifestyle" -> so basically "fuelled". Guess it's a kinda sarcastic meaning.

Demon1 back on the US flag? Maybe smarter like that because due to VISA stuff.

tex <3

Jemkin is easily one of the worlds best players atm - and insanely consistent.

He was def. not showing T1 level.

Did they say something about the signing? Just for now or actual contract?

GGs

Boaster, I love you brother. :) Kaajak also seems to slowly but surely get back on his 2025 level. He said that he wasn't feeling it during Kickoff but is working on it, we can def. see that.

Let's gooo!

Btw.: When Sayonara sticks to Initiator roles he will quickly become one of the greatest players.

Derke just playing almost only Judge and Neon is crazy. It's insane that it still works so well on Split...

Yeah, I just meant "it doesn't look good" but you're right. I (we) don't know if it was fun, if they're usually doing this and of course under friends it's normal to mock your buddies.

I just mean it looks weird in the regard that they now said after reviewing and having discussions after the NAVI game and other games we're going different ways now. So yeah... kinda sus timing but of course, I don't know of it is actually always like that or if he found it not cool.

There were signs:

https://x.com/vctslander/status/2041901034730139881

Very, very weird comms examples popping up now which doesn't look good for TH (but of course we don't know if it s actually that serious or has anything to do with it).

Overall I think it might be the bets for both sides. He is insanely talented but I also think it would be the best for ComeBack to actually learn English if you want to play with the best teams in the world. Wo0t, RieNs, Alfajer, Lar0k, s0pp, echo, Loita... there are so many Turkish players with great English.

Honestly, I was wondering why no top NA team signed seven for this season. At TSM he was amazing and they were easily one of the top 2 teams in Tier 2 NA in the strongest Tier 2 season so far. But we probably don't know how scrims were going or what some people might thought would fit better for their roster.

Def. promoting himself very good!

I feel like PCIFIC could be so much better. In their first matches al0rante and seven were so good and it were like timings and stuff and it's the same right now but even heavier. Always 2 seconds between a genius strat and people getting outskilled by experience in the end. I wish them success, tho. It's easy to always root for the best teams and biggest talents.

Sadly not before 2028... dude is born 2010. xD

100%. I hope so much Fnatic signs him. Alfajer plays Flex anyways these days, he could play Sentinel at FNC. Boaster -> Coach, crashies will prob. go back to NA because of his family anyways and then there is Kaajak, Alfa, maybe Veqaj. With 2 players on the level of Spear, GSR etc. Fnatic can find back to old times.

And against it's al0rante and seven with the most important rounds for PCF. 11-13 first map vs. BBL def. NOT bad.

BBL and M8 have crazy issues with the Yoru nerf (and M8 even more because they have only 2 players with insane mechanics, BBL got 4). I wonder why?! I mean yes, the agent got nerfed but it's still playable... just play it and know about the different timing now. Still you can do 70% of things as good as before. But I guess it's def. goof to also have alternatives in the portfolio and I love to see Lar0k on the Initiator again!!!

I hope this will be a 3 mapper and I know al0rante played some INSANE Breeze matches in the past (remember the Red Bull quali win against Heretics with FOKUS in 2023) but this will def. be insanely difficult since BBL plays a great Breeze. At least no destruction please.

Chloric is such an insane talented IGL, this dude was not on my radar like THAT. Wow. Nice pick. Will def. watch out for him during Stage 1.

Btw.: Regarding FUTs performance I wonder what would happen if ComeBack, Wo0t, RieNs go all Turkish for 2027 (maybe not at Heretics) but i.g. - imagine with Hiro and Ruxic. xD Just as a pure hypothetical thing. But yeah, I actually want to see a strong Heretics again... like a 2024 Heretics. Of course you can't keep that hype up for years (which pushed them a lot before) but there gotta be some answers for them. Filus trashtalk after round 21 on Bind kinda sums it up pretty well... :S

Ruxic is def. one of the best Controllers itw. right now.

GGs

I think this probably won't work against every team... like usually when let's say NRG, G2, PRX, Fnatic, NS, MIBR, Heretics play a major these teams won't allow that you just stomp them with better mechanics... some of those teams also always had some of the best mechanical players on their side and yeah... it works when the opponent also just plays heavily around 1-2 players (marteen, Minny) and not playing the most adaptive and reactive strats.

Sorry, I was MUCHOS tired. xD

I meant s0pp, xeus, sociablEE and yetu.

That FUT team has so much firepower. In the end if your team is able to always get enough kills... it wins. As simple as that.

marteen needs to find a comfy way to play with Phoenix like on Pearl or they need to go back on Yoru, but in the end they only have marteen and Minny with good firepower.

FUT will def. become insanely dangerous for many teams. Simply because they have 4 aim beasts (s0pp, xeus, sociablEE and yetu). GGs Congrats to FUT!

Btw.: yetujey is the most friendly and nice guy in interviews and than during matches he roars like a lion... xD

Great debut of Sayo. His aim is so crisp and yeah... bro has an insane career ahead of himself. So damn talented with a wide pool of agents and finally a 18y talent that is NOT swapping for 2nd Duelist. I was hoping Lar0k would play more Initiator and Omen as well... he is such an amazing Flex, too.

GGs - GIANTX were a crazy phenomenon during the last season with wins against Sentinels, 1-2 against PRX and all that. I still think they should keep Cloud as an IGL and westside but otherwise maybe rebuild for 2027.

Haha, season starts and marteen is acing.

You can't make it up... he is just crazy.

Nice roster. Great to see the huge amount of great NA Tier 2 IGLs get attention. NA has by far the biggest amount of very good IGLs in Tier 2.

I wish for Kaajak to be able to find his form again... it often just needs one good game and then it makes "click" in the head just as during his first matches in VCT at all last year. But yeah, overall... I think this will be a really tough year for Fnatic. Veqaj def. can shoot but the way Chronicle played all his agents, the way he roamed and all that is a level that helped Fnatic reaching 3 grand finals in a row. Fnatic is simply not on the 2025 level so far... not even close. Alfajer and crashies are the only players that touch their last year brilliance here and then and of course it's crazy difficult when the whole team is not as strong anymore.

GGs

Better a house with a DACH than a house without a DACH. ;)

Yeah, he and al0rante are the only left hope for this and next year for the German Valorant scene (Proxh is German / Turkish).

Proxh and kozzy... let's go boys!

His 1v2 spraytransfer clutch:
https://www.twitch.tv/valorantleague_dach/clip/ExcitedSmoothTireKreygasm-lxta9ZsG3W3a3zRI

Ah okay, thanks. :)

PCFIC should get him instead of cNed, put seven on Duelist or what and Spear on Senti. Or FUT should get him, too - and oroni. :P Then they would finally be strong again.
Proxh also needs to be in VCT again without a single doubt. Dude is fluent in German, English, Turkish, is one of the best T2 players atm and insanely talented.

Okay, so s0pp joins FUT? I just hope that fromer EF player Spear finds a new team quickly... dude is INSANELY talented.

Mhyeah, true.

Maybe comms? Dunno. He is a shooter, tho. But yeah, maybe I'm wrong. Aim is not evertyhing of course.

In no world belongs Elite in Tier 2.

I was so much hoping for 3 maps but it was still a nice match. Jamelinho will get such a crazy player in the future...

kozzy just got 16... when he continues like that he will become Sayonara 2.0.
Proxh also def. one of the guys I want to see back in VCT for the upcoming season.

Sadly kinda disappointing to watch by Barcelona here... globeX was just outmatched by kozzy, Proxh destroyed anyone and MAGNUM / iluri were just IGLing way crazier.

Maximum deserved for NS and my goat Rb, but what a sad GF.

Honestly... NS played good, but not crazy insane "never before seen" Valorant.
The question is: What were PRX doing? That was not the PRX that we saw in recent weeks.

What I find so amazing is that even though NS are no direct Tier 2 team like f.e. BBL, they still 180° turned a absolute awful 2025 season in which they went downwards to Ascension all the way to a insane 2026 season with now 11 victories in a row and not a single loss in the current VCT reason with a damn major trophy in the end. They - and especially Rb - 100% deserve this.

GG

*Edit: Dambi MVP <3 Awesome. This kid is so down to earth. Perfect choice! But I'd more see this as a tournament MVP, since Xross was insane in the gf. Also - I think they should maybe redo the whole MVP thing and do it like 2021 or just as R6 Siege is still doing it - crown a tournament / gf MVP and before that a MVP for every playoffs day. So players like marteen, eeiu etc. would earn a nice "Day X MVP" as well and get something.

This will be such a crazy match. kozzy is def. one of the names people keep an eye on until he becomes 18, globeX, stonezy and Proxh 3 players who are def. VCT options for the upcoming season...

And people mocked M8 for 2x 10-13 against NS... with marteen playing a 1.41 rating with +9 KD xD

2 map veto still pretty weird, they should've changed that for years. 1 map veto is totally enough.

NS and the Rb master calling is just a perfect begin for this season.

GG Deserved as hell for the boys of PRX!

Bro... it's AGAIN like yesterday. Keiko and skuba do the work and then people keep peeking 1 by 1 while PRX actually use comms to peek (easiest thing in the world you'd imagine). If mada would always play like round 10, they'd have no issues. But keiko is also looking really rough on Breeze so far (except 2 rounds).

It's GG... NRG don't follow the most simple rules anymore while the once most chaotic team is playing super calm with comms and all.