Vitality have ended their concerning run of form by reaching the semi-finals, breaking a streak of four consecutive events without a top-four placement. The French organization achieved this turnaround while playing with stand-in Justinas "jL" Lekavicius, who stepped in during their period of poor results.
Coach Rémy "XTQZZZ" Quoniam viewed the roster change positively from the start. He noted that bringing in fresh blood could benefit the team, especially since jL is an experienced player. The timing worked in their favor too, as BLAST's schedule provided practice time with a day off to integrate the new addition.
Regarding their quarter-final victory over FURIA, XTQZZZ acknowledged the team got destroyed on the opening map due to aggressive opposition play. Cache saw them lose both pistols, though their defensive side performed well. Communication issues on the attacking side made things tight. Dust2 finally saw the team click on offense, with better awareness against FURIA's aggression.
When asked about Nuke's problematic attacking side, the coach admitted they rushed too quickly in recent matches, preventing proper mid-round adjustments. He expressed confidence they could address these issues through focused discussion.
Integrating jL required helping him learn strategies and utility usage for mezii's complex role. The coach noted jL sometimes struggled with frustration after mistakes, requiring mental support from the team.
Despite reaching the semi-finals with a stand-in, XTQZZZ doesn't view it as a major achievement yet. He emphasized their focus remains on improving team play, mindset, and VRS performance rather than celebrating early success.
