Team Vitality captain Dan apEX Madesclaire gave an interview to Players reporter Sofiia Pikhalo during media day ahead of the IEM Katowice 2025 playoffs in CS2.
So, I would start with congratulations, because it's a further than you go in Katowice before, previously you were out earlier, and nowadays you are in play-off.
I did play-off already, I did play-off.
Not semi-final. So, congratulations with that.
Yes. Thank you.
You have a new player in your team. How do you assess his adaptation?
Well, really good, to be honest. Since he arrived, everything goes really well. It goes as the plan, I would say. We're working together, trying to know each other even more, and trying to fit him into our system, and trying to give him a lot of freedom. So, that's how things look good, I would say.
What has changed in the team with arrival of ropz?
I think a lot of things have changed. Last year has been rough. It's good to have a new fresh air, in some sense. Also, new ideas, a new work ethic. Everyone in the team is giving even more now, because we want to do so well, and we know that that guy is a winner, has won a lot. So, it's a really new beginning.
What can you say about your potential opponents and rivals in the semifinals and later?
Well, we're going to play either Eternal Fire or Mongols. Two upcoming teams, two teams that are showing really good CS for the last couple of months. They're both improving, they're both really dangerous. We lost, actually, three times in a row against Eternal Fire. Against Mongols, it's always been close games as well. So, whoever we face, it's going to be a tough match. But we want to show that we are the best team there. So, we need to win whoever we face.
Of course. Your first match at the tournament was against 3DMAX.
Yes.
And it turned out to be emotional. So, what do you think was the reason for gravity shouts? Did you talk to someone from 3DMAX after the match and discuss the situation?
Well, obviously, we're all French. Zywoo with me and 3DMAX. So, we know each other really well. I've been playing with them in some FACEIT, etc. So, we know each other. So, actually, I knew that gravity would scream a lot. And I had to answer myself, because otherwise I couldn't let him speak that much. So, yeah. But, yeah, we talked after the game and everything is good.
But why didn't ZywOo say anything like that?
Because ZywOo is like that. ZywOo is not saying much in the situation. So, it's not his style, I would say.
He lost his time to shine a little bit.
Exactly.
Maybe you already saw an interview of EliGE about the need of change for economy in CS. Because he said that he needs more safe rounds and more eco rounds to have buy rounds. So, do you think the economy needs to change?
Well, yeah. I think it would be a good thing for the game if we have less eco rounds and more buy rounds. But I think the state of the game right now is not that bad. So, I think the game is improved from the beginning. And that's what I love. So, yeah, we could make many changes. But let's see how it goes.
And as for changes for map pool, do you want some maps to change and what for?
Well, yeah. Anubis has been pretty rough. So, I think maybe adding a new map would be nice.
Or even Cache.
Whatever. Something new.
But are there reasons for the changes? Or you just want something new?
The problem is that Anubis right now is really tough on the CT side. So, let's see. I don't know what people can do about the map right now. Or they need changes on the map itself. So, that's mostly about that.
I thought that the win rate of Anubis… The team who picked Anubis's win rate is higher. And maybe some disbalance there.
No, I just think that CT side is tough. And T side is way easier. So, yeah, they need to change something on the map. That's for sure.
And what can you bring to this Katowice? Maybe you will go with your crowd and shout more? Or do you expect the crowd to cheer for you?
I don't know if the crowd will cheer for us. And I don't care. I just want to win. I just want to give our best. And that's it. So, maybe it's going to cheer for us. Maybe not. But the most important for us is just to focus on us.
