BLAST Open Porto kicks off today, with pre-match updates from Team Vitality—mezii is out on paternity leave, and jL steps in as a substitute. In their opening match against Inner Circle, flameZ addressed the map pick controversy from EWC in an interview, stating he has no regrets about choosing Mirage and attributing the loss to donk more to "communication issues." He acknowledged the dip in the team's form and confidence but believes that "you have to lose before you can win," and that Vitality's system remains intact. Facing lineup fluctuations, he emphasized that everyone needs to step up to help jL adapt and focus on performing well round by round.
Q: flameZ, you're coming into BLAST Open after losing to Spirit at EWC. The map picks from that EWC match surprised many—you banned Dust2 and chose Mirage as the decider. And then donk took over that map. What did you learn from that matchup?
flameZ: Choosing Mirage was our team's decision. In practice, Mirage has always been strong for us, while Dust2 sometimes feels less stable. Of course, we're also comfortable with Dust2, but at the time, we went with the map we were more confident in. Looking back now, perhaps choosing Dust2 would have worked too. But the issue wasn't the map selection—in that match, we had many good opportunities, just didn't seize them. If our communication had been a bit better, the match would have gone more smoothly. donk did play well, but we also learned from it. The team has made many decisions that outsiders might find strange, but we always choose what we're comfortable with, regardless of who the opponent is.
Q: Aside from that match, what do you think has been wrong with the team overall in the past few months?
flameZ：We were on break before Atlanta and weren't in peak form. We prioritized preparation for the Major, but even after attending, we didn’t play our best CS. Against Falcons, both teams had their chances—if we had won, we would have reached the Major quarterfinals, which wouldn't have been a bad result. Then came the Bounty online tournament after the break. Online matches are always tough, and Liquid played well while we performed terribly. It was our first official match after a month off. This loss to Spirit—they are a strong team, and we could have played better. Our form and confidence are slipping, but we all have the motivation to overcome this. To win, you first have to lose; if we want a successful 2025, we might have to endure a rough 2024. We believe the system is still intact, our key players are here, and we just need to keep pushing forward.
Q: When the team isn't in the best shape and you still have to deal with substitutes coming in and out, how much have you practiced together with jL?
flameZ: Not much, the time between EWC and this event is too tight. But I practiced with jL for a few days and played a few matches. He has rich experience, strong social skills, and integrated quickly. Of course, this takes time, but if we perform well at this event, it won’t be due to fancy tactics but basic teamwork. Our ideas are aligned, and we’ll try to give him space to shine. Still, it’s different—I did want to play with mezii. He performed well at EWC and was just hitting his form before missing this event. But given the situation, we have to handle it professionally. jL is also a strong player, and who knows, he might make a name for himself here. We’re optimistic.
Q: There's a bit of a split in external expectations toward you all. On one hand, people know you should be contending for the title, but on the other, they can't ignore the substitute situation. What do you personally think? Including that stop in Bucharest, where apEX wasn't there either.
flameZ: We won't put pressure on ourselves. We want to play good CS, that's our only goal. Winning the championship is a result, not a goal. We have no baggage in this tournament and are confident in playing at the level we should. But we won't set hard targets for ourselves, nor will we panic if we don't crush the opponent in the first match. We take it one game at a time—a 13-11 win is fine, an overtime win is fine. Everyone has personal standards, but there's no overall pressure on results.
Q: You mentioned Inner Circle. They've been competing in VRS ever since adding headtr1ck, what are your thoughts on this matchup?
flameZ: We've faced them in practice matches, and they have strong individual skills. Even when we were in our best form before, it wasn't easy against them. Being able to participate in this tournament shows their strength. We will prepare seriously and get ready for the gunfights.
Q: Mental coach Jack mentioned you've taken on more of a "second voice" role within the team and suggested you could become a good in-game leader in the future. With apEX not being in Bucharest, it's most likely mezii will be the IGL. Will you take on more responsibility?
flameZ: Bucharest will likely have mezii as IGL, with the coaching staff also providing support. The key is that all of us need to put in more effort than we did with apEX. apEX's voice is so loud that you don't need to bring much energy to the game when he's there. But mezii hasn't been an IGL for nearly three years, so we need to step up and help him. I'll also share ideas, and ZywOo, jL, and ropz will all contribute. Everyone can speak up more. Even at this event, with apEX present but without mezii, I also need to step up and bring more energy. jL hasn't played an official match in a long time, so he might not adapt smoothly at first. We have to get him into our rhythm instead of just playing our own game and waiting for him to integrate.