Vitality were eliminated from BLAST Rivals Season 2 in the quarter-finals following a defeat against MOUZ, while apEX’s return to the starting lineup proved more difficult than the team had hoped. The French captain acknowledged his own problems with calling and stated that the tournament in Hong Kong did not reflect Vitality’s true level. The team’s main priority now is preparing for PGL Major Singapore.
apEX takes responsibility
Vitality had an opportunity to turn the match against MOUZ around on Cache but ultimately failed to complete the comeback. apEX specifically pointed to lost pistol rounds, unsuccessful situations against opponents with weaker buys, and his own decisions. According to him, the team gained control of the game several times but allowed MOUZ to recover.
We had good control of the game, but I made some really bad calls. They were also playing very fast, and they caught us off guard a few times. We know we have to play better.
The Vitality captain also noted that the team had limited preparation time before the tournament. As a result, his expectations were lower than usual. Victory in the opening match may have created the impression that the team had already returned to their usual level, but the following matches revealed that significant work was still needed.
His worst calling in a long time
For apEX, the main problem with his own performance was the quality of his in-game leadership. After returning to the lineup, he needed to readjust to the IGL role, regain his feel for the game, and improve his ability to read opponents. The Frenchman admitted that he failed to achieve this at BLAST Rivals.
For me, the main thing now is to become an IGL again who does his job well, reads the game properly, and makes the right decisions. None of that was there at this tournament. This was probably my worst calling in a very, very long time.
That is why apEX does not intend to take an extended break before the Major. He wants to analyze his decisions in detail, understand how opponents adapt to Vitality, and prepare new tactical options. Improving his calling will be one of the team’s main priorities before the most important event of the final part of the season.
Vitality did not show their true level
apEX did not attribute the disappointing result in Hong Kong solely to his own mistakes. Vitality also lost important XvX situations, were not always convincing individually, and made errors that opponents quickly punish at the current level of CS2 competition.
We weren’t the best individually, we weren’t the best as a team — that’s it. The level in CS2 is high right now. That’s Counter-Strike.
However, apEX does not want to draw overly broad conclusions from BLAST Rivals alone. He stated directly that what happened in Hong Kong does not reflect the roster’s true potential. The team must accept the disappointing performance, move on, and focus on returning to their usual level.
Roster absences complicated the season
Vitality knew in advance that the final part of the season could be inconsistent. apEX and mezii missed tournaments due to family circumstances, meaning the team spent some time competing without its regular starting five. Reuniting the full roster required another adjustment period, even though the absences were not particularly long.
We knew this part of the season would be difficult because of mezii’s parental leave and mine. We accepted that, and now we have to move forward. We know what we need to improve, and there are a lot of things.
Vitality can now work with their full lineup again without constantly adjusting roles. The immediate challenge is to restore their established system and confidence after a difficult tournament, rather than make major changes to a roster that has already demonstrated its potential.
Preparation for the Major is already beginning
Vitality will complete the first part of their preparation at home. According to apEX, the team plan to practice for approximately six or seven days before traveling to Singapore. They will then hold a short bootcamp ahead of the Major.
We’ll have six or seven days of practice at home, and then we’ll have a short bootcamp in Singapore. Before a Major, we usually work together for three or four days because the tournament itself is long, and an extended bootcamp can be mentally exhausting.
Vitality’s main objective is now to avoid dwelling on their disappointment in Hong Kong. The team have identified the problems they need to address, and apEX has already acknowledged his share of responsibility. The final preparation period will determine whether the French captain and his teammates can rediscover the level of play that has made Vitality one of the leading title contenders ahead of Singapore.
