Team Vitality Team Vitality Europe Rank #8 trexx Nikita Cherednichenko Derke Nikita Sirmitev Kicks Kimmie Laasner Sayf Saif Jibraeel Less Felipe de Loyola Basso have signed KOI KOI Europe Rank #41 grubinho Grzegorz Ryczko sheydos Bogdan Naumov Filu Dawid Czarnecki flyuh Xavier Carlson soulcas Dom Sulcas 's Nikita "trexx" Cherednichenko to their bench as Tomas "Destrian" Linikas returns to the main roster. The organization announced that this change was only set to last throughout the duration of EMEA's Kickoff event.
Under Vitality, Destrian started 2023 with a premature exit from LOCK//IN at the hands of LEVIATÁN LEVIATÁN Latin America South Rank #1 Demon1 Max Mazanov tex Ian Botsch kiNgg Francisco Aravena C0M Corbin Lee nataNk Nathan Bocqueho . After brushing off their shoulders, the team entered the EMEA League with the goal of qualifying to Masters: Tokyo in mind. Unfortunately, Vitality were unable to pick up a single win in the playoffs and fell to FUT Esports FUT Esports Europe Rank #7 xeus Doğan Gözgen MrFaliN Furkan Yeğen yetujey Eray Budak AtaKaptan Ata Tan cNed Mehmet Yağız İpek qRaxs Doğukan Balaban and Team Liquid Team Liquid Europe Rank #22 paTiTek Patryk Fabrowski kamyk Maks Rychlewski nAts Ayaz Akhmetshin Keiko Georgio Sanassy kamo Kamil Frąckowiak , shattering any dreams of attending Japan's international event.
Despite being set to compete in the EMEA LCQ, Vitality were granted special permission by Riot to withdraw from the event out of respect for Karel "Twisten" Ašenbrener, who passed away shortly after the team's run in the EMEA League.
With their season finished, Vitality would make a slew of roster changes before debuting in the Convergence 2023 OFF//SEASON event, where they took home silver medals behind FUT last December. Although the team would eventually bench Destrian earlier this month, he has rejoined the active roster one last time as they look to take on the competition in EMEA's Kickoff.
trexx and the rest of KOI had a less fortunate season. The team exited Brazil winless and finished ninth in the EMEA League with only Karmine Corp Karmine Corp Europe Rank #31 saadhak Matias Delipetro Avez Hazem Khaled Elite Efe Teber SUYGETSU Dmitry Ilyushin marteen Martin Pátek behind them. Eager to qualify for Champions, KOI sought redemption within the EMEA LCQ.
The organization began turning heads after they took down Team Heretics Team Heretics Europe Rank #1 MiniBoo Dominykas Lukaševičius Wo0t Mert Alkan RieNs Enes Ecirli benjyfishy Benjamin David Fish Boo Ričardas Lukaševičius and Natus Vincere Natus Vincere Europe Rank #20 ANGE1 Kyrylo Karasov Shao Andrey Kiprsky Ruxic Uğur Güç hiro Emirhan Kat koalanoob Gianfranco Potestio . One match away from booking tickets to Los Angeles, KOI fell to Giants Gaming Giants Gaming Inactive Redgar Igor Vlasov Fit1nho Adolfo Gallego nukkye Žygimantas Chmieliauskas hoody Aaro Peltokangas Cloud Kirill Nehozhin and could not close out a rematch against NAVI, netting them a third-place finish.
After numerous rumors surrounding Vitality, KOI confirmed earlier today that trexx had departed the organization. Shortly after, Vitality Performance coach Marceau "Placido" Lambert explained that due to trexx not arriving in Berlin on time as a result of outside factors, Destrian would play at Kickoff in his stead.
Vitality's improvised roster will debut on February 21 against Gentle Mates Gentle Mates Europe Rank #21 K4DAVRA Thomas Johner RobbieBk Robbie Boerkamp Minny Patrik Hušek Zyppan Pontus Eek Click Haydem Ali . The organization looks to advance out of Group C on their quest for slots at Masters: Madrid
Team Vitality Team Vitality Europe Rank #8 trexx Nikita Cherednichenko Derke Nikita Sirmitev Kicks Kimmie Laasner Sayf Saif Jibraeel Less Felipe de Loyola Basso is now:
- Jokūbas "ceNder" Labutis
- Tomas "Destrian" Linikas
- Kimmie "Kicks" Laasner
- Emil "runneR" Trajkovski
- Saif "Sayf" Jibraeel
- Nikita "trexx" Cherednichenko
- Salah "salah" Barakat (Head coach)
- Joseph "Strong" Edwards (Coach)
- Harry "Gorilla" Mepham (Assistant coach)
- Marceau "Placido" Lambert (Performance coach)
- Marcus "marcus_askildsen" Askildsen (Performance coach)