Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski spoke to HLTV after Aurora reached the top four at ESL Pro League Season 24, discussing the progress of the team, work with coach Ashley “ash” Battye and previous comments from Nikola “NiKo” Kovač about how he handled feedback during his time with Falcons.
Aurora advanced to the semifinals after defeating 1win, with kyxsan saying the team is now much more comfortable with the system he has been implementing over the past few months.
kyxsan says Aurora are becoming more comfortable with his system
kyxsan believes Aurora have made significant progress since he joined the lineup.
The in-game leader said more time together has allowed him to implement his preferred style, while the players are becoming increasingly comfortable with how the team approaches the game.
“I think we’re improving a lot and now that we had some more time, I’m able to implement the way I want to play.”
He added that the next step is continuing to develop and update the system rather than making another major change to the way Aurora play.
Team mentality remains a work in progress
Improving the mentality inside the lineup was one of the priorities for kyxsan after joining Aurora.
He admitted that problems still appear in some matches, but believes the situation has improved considerably compared to two months ago.
“There are still some games where I would say our mentality is not the best, but I can also say that it’s so much better compared to two months ago.”
kyxsan also highlighted the willingness of experienced players to work on this part of the game. He specifically mentioned that XANTARES remains highly motivated to improve despite already having extensive experience at the top level.
kyxsan praises work with ash
kyxsan also spoke positively about his relationship with ash.
According to the in-game leader, the coach contributes significantly to preparation, particularly on the CT side, while also providing ideas for T-side play and helping keep the team together mentally during important matches.
“I’m really surprised by ash. I think our connection is really good.”
The cooperation has become another part of the development of the new Aurora system as the team continues adapting around kyxsan as the in-game leader.
kyxsan responds to previous comments from NiKo
The interview also addressed previous public comments from NiKo regarding the ability of kyxsan to handle feedback during their time together at Falcons.
kyxsan said he did not believe the comments presented the full picture. While acknowledging that part of the criticism may have applied during the final months of his time with the team, he argued that it did not reflect the entire period.
“I think it’s taken a little bit out of context because it’s not the full story of what was happening in Falcons.”
He added that he remains willing to listen to teammates and learn from players around him.
“I’m always open to feedback and, you know, when you play with so many experienced and good players, you can learn from every one of them.”
Aurora are now guaranteed a top-four finish at ESL Pro League Season 24 after reaching the semifinals.
