NAVI player Valerii b1t Vakhovskyi gave an interview to Players reporter Sofiia Pikhalo during media day ahead of the IEM Katowice 2025 playoffs in CS2.
First of all, congratulations on making it further and starting from the semifinals. Overall, you're having a strong start to the year. Is this because you had some rest and recharged?
Well, first of all, of course, when people come back from vacation or holidays, let’s say like that, there's a lot more creativity, more ideas, and definitely a better sense of the game.
Did you come up with new ideas during the break, or did they just appear on their own?
No, they appeared on their own because you’ve rested and had a reset.
In the second half of last year, you played tournaments almost without any breaks. Will you try to take more pauses this year, maybe skip some tournaments? Or is it still uncertain?
I know for sure that we will skip some events. Last year, we played a lot of events, and we've learned our lessons.
To play fewer tournaments?
Well, I'm not sure if we’ll play fewer, but we’re trying to create a schedule that is very comfortable for us.
And productive, since you need to prepare for each tournament and every team.
Yes, of course.
Last year, you didn't manage to make it to the playoffs. Would you say that the minimum goal has been achieved now, or do you want more?
Of course, our team is ambitious, and we want to win every event. The fact that we didn't make it to the playoffs last year was very disappointing. It's really hard for me to accept when we can't make it out of the group stage at such events. Any event with an arena — losing there and not making it through the group stage is really tough for me. So, I'm glad we’ll be playing on stage.
Do you take a lot of responsibility upon yourself, worrying that you may not have done enough and that it could have cost you the playoffs? What do you think is the reason behind it?
It's simply the fact that we won't be playing on stage.
So, for you, it's more about the disappointment of not playing on stage rather than just losing?
Of course, I’m upset when we don’t get to play on stage if we lose.
I heard that there will be a lot of fans this year. Are you expecting a dedicated fan zone and support from that section?
Well, what can I say? Thank you all for your support because NAVI has amazing fans. I really love and appreciate it. So, thankfully, we have no problems with support.
I know that your fan section is preparing some surprises. Every time they come, it's always loud and full of content that they create.
What did the victory over such a principal rival like Spirit mean to you?
It was very important for us because we lost to them many times last year, and now we finally won — it’s great. But we will most likely play them again, which will make for a very interesting match.
Do you expect to face Spirit rather than Virtus.pro?
Yes, most likely, it will be Spirit because Virtus.pro is playing with a substitute, they have a new team, so their chances are much lower.
And on the other side, there are Vitality, Eternal Fire, and Mongols. Which of these teams would you like to face?
To be honest, it doesn’t matter because we need to focus on the semifinals first. If you start thinking too far ahead, you might not even make it to the final.
Of course, but is there a team that would be more interesting to prepare for or strategize against?
It doesn’t really make a difference because Vitality has a new team, and we have played Eternal Fire many times before. Naturally, it might be easier against Eternal Fire or Mongols, but Vitality could win… However, that’s not certain, since they have a new lineup.
What changed in your game against Spirit compared to the previous tournament, BLAST Bounty, where you lost to them?
We are gradually getting into form — that’s the only difference. But maybe we are also getting more used to them because the more you play against an opponent, the more familiar you become with them.
I’ve also seen discussions about changes to the map pool and economy. Do you feel any issues in the economy or maps that you’d like to change?
Regarding the economy — no, 100%. As for the map pool… actually, no. The current map pool is great, and I like it.
I also saw the rankings, and your stats are outstanding. Do you expect to win the MVP award at this tournament, or are you just focused on playing for the team?
Of course, I always try to play for the team. The fact that, as you said, I have good stats is nice. But first and foremost, it’s about the team — it’s a team play. It doesn’t matter whether you win the MVP or not because the priority is the tournament. If you win MVP but lose the tournament, who cares? No one will remember you as the champion.
Speaking of stats, Aleksib has recently started reaching a 1.0 rating. Are you happy about this, or do you rely more on his calls?
For me, stats are whatever — many people pay attention to them, but I don’t like that. The most important things are decision-making and communication — how a person helps the team. Stats don’t even come close to showing the full picture.
