NAVI captain Aleksi 'Aleksib' Virolainen gave an interview to HLTV ahead of the start of Stage 3 of the IEM Cologne Major 2026 in CS2.
On the Form of Teams at IEM Cologne Major 2026
“The teams you mentioned are definitely among them. I also consider FUT and Legacy to be dark horses — historically, they’ve beaten us twice in a row already. A lot of teams can be dangerous, and some of them already have experience playing on this stage, but I don’t think that’s the decisive factor. It’s difficult to hide new strategies and preparations once you’ve already shown your game in the previous stage, so they may need to come up with something new for this phase.
Overall, many teams are in excellent form right now. Everyone is waiting to see how Vitality will perform after Atlanta, since their winning streak came to an end there, so to speak. Will they look even stronger than Spirit did in Stage 2, or will they run into difficulties?
The first and second days will clarify a lot about Stage 3 and show who the real playoff contenders are. If a team goes 2-0 without facing much resistance, it can already be considered one of the main candidates not only for the playoffs but potentially for the title itself.
It will be interesting to see how Stage 3 unfolds in the best-of-three format. We’re going to get a lot of maps and a lot of high-quality CS from every team. Personally, I just can’t wait for the matches to begin.”
On NAVI’s Improvement
“When we review our matches, we notice that we’re winning situations and clutches that we would have lost when our results were worse.
Now we have players who can step up and save the team in critical moments. That’s something you constantly see from top teams with players like ZywOo or donk — players who are used to carrying those situations on their own.
It’s always great to see your teammates playing better and finding form because it’s important for them as individuals. And it’s simply rewarding to see the team progressing. At the highest level, that’s a requirement if you want to lift a trophy above your head, and it’s a very positive sign for us this season.”
On w0nderful’s Progress
“For him, the psychological aspect is the most difficult part, and I think that applies to many players. Once an esports player starts feeling confident within the team... Just look at NertZ and how incredibly he’s playing for G2 right now. I think it all comes down to confidence and the trust you receive from the people around you.
I feel that w0nderful was lacking some of that at one point, but now he’s back to his usual level. Hopefully, he’ll perform the same way here at the Major because it will be a huge help for the team.”
As a reminder, Ubisoft recently announced a restructuring plan that could affect around 380 employees.