Ahead of the start of BLAST Open Porto 2026, NAVI's CS2 captain, Aleksi "Aleksib" Virolainen, commented on the team's current state. Despite winning two trophies in the first half of 2026, the squad suffered painful setbacks at the Cologne Major and the Esports World Cup. However, the players are determined to regain their leading positions.
Commenting on the recent crushing defeat to Legacy at EWC, Aleksib admitted that their mental state was the main reason. In crucial moments of the game, NAVI lacked proper communication, whereas their opponent was significantly better prepared both psychologically and individually. According to the captain, this "slap in the face" forced the team to work hard on the fundamental aspects of their game during a bootcamp, and they now have every chance to rectify the situation.
Aleksib considers the community's constant discussions about potential roster changes to be somewhat ridiculous at times. He pointed out that only a few teams have managed to win two major tournaments this year. The captain cited Team Spirit as an example: they were also heavily criticized after a poor start at EWC, but they managed to pull themselves together and win the tournament. Aleksib emphasized that the organization is showing patience, and the players themselves are currently focused on fixing mistakes rather than paying attention to rumors. The team needs just one important winning match to regain their confidence and compete for a third trophy this season.
The departure of their performance coach, Urszula, to Astralis was not a critical blow for NAVI. She left the players with a solid foundation of skills and proper routines, which the team continues to utilize alongside their new specialist.
Regarding the map pool, NAVI is actively practicing Cache, which they left as the decider map in the match against Legacy. Aleksib considers the fact that the team hasn't played it in official matches yet to be a tactical advantage.
In their opening match against M80, NAVI has no intention of underestimating their opponents. The squad's main goal right now is to confidently advance to the playoffs, progressing step by step from match to match.
As a reminder, BLAST Open Porto 2026: A New Challenge After EWC — Who Is Vying for a Trip to Porto
