Team Vitality are through to the IEM Rio playoffs, but their IGL Dan “apEX” Madesclaire was not in the mood to celebrate. After a messy series win over a stand-in G2 roster, he sat down and gave one of the more self-critical post-match interviews of the tournament.
Stand-In Opponents Are a Problem Vitality Haven’t Solved
G2 competed without their IGL and with a stand-in, and that made them a harder opponent than a full-strength lineup might have been. apEX explained the dynamic clearly — teams playing with nothing to lose behave differently on the server, taking risks and playing with a freedom that disrupts structured preparation. He connected it directly to a similar experience against Falcons when NucleonZ stood in. Vitality have run into this pattern before and still haven’t found a consistent answer to it.
The 24-Map Winstreak Is Over, and apEX Doesn’t Mind
Vitality dropped Mirage, ending a 24-map winning streak that had become one of the storylines of their recent run. apEX said he had been quietly wondering when it would eventually end and how it would feel when it did. The answer turned out to be a stomping, but with the series still in hand, he moved on quickly. The team now sits at 18 consecutive series wins, a mark that places them behind only NIP and Liquid all-time — though apEX was clear that records are not the point. Winning is.
One Win From a Historic Grand Slam Double
Every result at IEM Rio carries additional stakes for Vitality. One more win would make them the first team to claim two consecutive ESL Grand Slam titles. apEX is aware of the pressure but refuses to let it change the mentality. Ugly wins count the same as clean ones, and that approach got them through today. He acknowledged freely that the level on display will not be good enough when the knockout rounds arrive and the opposition improves.
ZywOo, ropz, and the MVP Conversation
Asked about ropz claiming the Rotterdam MVP over Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, apEX smiled through his answer. He called ZywOo robbed, but in the same breath made clear he sees the competition between them as healthy. Individual awards mean nothing without the trophy, and the trophy is all Vitality are thinking about.
