FURIA defeated G2 in the EWC quarterfinals, completing a comeback on Ancient for the second consecutive day—after they had just eliminated Aurora in the same manner the day before.
After the match, YEKINDAR addressed the rumors about leaving the team: "If things don't work out, it's normal for someone to consider other options. We're trying to keep the four-man core, but it's reasonable for everyone to look at their choices." He then added with a smile: "I saw the news saying 'YEKINDAR has many suitors,' but nobody told me about it—probably forgot."
He also revealed that the team is trying him out as the in-game leader on certain maps, preparing for the future after FalleN's retirement.
Q: Congratulations on reaching the EWC semifinals. First, I'd like to ask, would you now consider yourselves a strong team on Ancient? In your recent two matches, opponents have tried to counter you by picking Ancient, but none have succeeded.
YEKINDAR: Here's the situation. Overpass was one of our strongest maps last season, and after its removal, we knew we had to make some adjustments to our map pool. If we just removed Overpass and kept everything else the same, our map pool wouldn't be strong enough.
So we had to experiment, try something new. When we started practicing Ancient at the beginning of the season, the process was really tough, and we couldn't fully showcase it in matches—same at Blast Bounty, since we were still figuring out Cache at the time. But this time at EWC, it finally worked out, and I'm really happy about that.
Of course, we also know that Aurora doesn't normally play Ancient, and G2's win rate on Ancient is relatively low, so this confidence still requires further validation. But at least these few victories have greatly boosted our confidence.
But then again, we don't actually have a permanently banned map yet. Right now, it's more about flexible adjustments, judging which map is more suitable based on different opponents—basically, something like that.
Q: We noticed your T side played quite well, but there were a few smoke grenades that weren't thrown perfectly, especially that one smoke on the first map that seemed to never land correctly. Did you feel these small inconsistencies during the match, or did you generally stay composed throughout?
YEKINDAR: Actually, it's fine. I think we handled all the situations we encountered on Ancient pretty well. We were always aware of what was happening on the field and knew what to do next because we've practiced Ancient many times this season. Even in the rounds that put us in a difficult position against Aurora, our personnel positioning and numbers were correct—it was more about our gunplay not being on point. In that series, I personally struggled a lot and wasn't in great form. If I had secured one more key kill, the score would have been completely different.
Q: FalleN mentioned yesterday that you are in charge of calling for the T-side on Ancient. Can you talk about this arrangement? How did this decision come about?
YEKINDAR: Since the beginning of the season, we have been experimenting because we were still uncertain about the future direction. Having me take charge of shot-calling on certain maps was a reasonable direction for us to explore. I feel that in some specific situations, FalleN and I may have different tactical understandings, so it's quite an interesting attempt to switch perspectives for shot-calling. Ancient was the map where we agreed I would take on the calling role. However, I don't think this will be a long-term arrangement. To be honest, being a shot-caller is mentally exhausting. This role is really not an easy one, and I genuinely admire all the shot-callers who can handle this pressure. As for whether this will be my future direction or FURIA's future direction, I can't say for sure right now. We are just exploring which direction to take after FalleN's retirement, and since we're trying so many things now, we might not be in our best form.
Q: You just mentioned FURIA's future. There have been many recent rumors about you and molodoy, with everyone speculating on what the team will look like after the end of the year. Do these uncertainties greatly affect the team's atmosphere? As FalleN's departure time approaches, are these matters becoming increasingly difficult to handle?
YEKINDAR: We actually joke about this quite often. FalleN is a very important figure on the team, and after he retires, he’ll leave a huge gap that needs to be filled. But finding someone who can completely replace him is impossible. You need to think clearly about which direction the team should take moving forward, and eventually make a decision—what that direction is, and who the last piece of the puzzle is.
Of course, if things don't work out or the right person isn't found, it's perfectly normal for everyone to consider other options on their own. If changes do happen, I don't think anyone would blame anyone else.
But at the same time, we are indeed working hard to solve this problem and figuring out how to move forward with our future. We hope to keep the current four members and find a suitable person to take FalleN's place. However, it's also quite reasonable that everyone is looking at their options and keeping an eye out for opportunities.
However, I did see the news saying "YEKINDAR has many interested teams," but it seems no one told me about this—I guess they probably forgot.
Q： Your bracket doesn't include those traditional powerhouses, but MOUZ and FUT have also shown strong competitiveness this season, playing with great vitality thanks to their new rosters. What are your thoughts on their upcoming match? Do you have a preference for facing one of them, or have you already formed an expectation in your mind?
YEKINDAR: I think currently, MOUZ might be slightly stronger than FUT, so we expect to most likely face MOUZ. But honestly, at this stage, it really comes down to form on the day and who's got better momentum. For tier-one teams, I think anyone can beat anyone—it all depends on who shows up and who doesn't.
As for the half, everyone always likes to say "this is the easy half." But how the bracket is drawn isn't up to us; we just focus on playing the matches in front of us. If those so-called strong teams don't perform well themselves, then that's just how this half turns out, you know?