Daps to play for Patsi at the start of ESL Pro League S18

The ESL Pro League S18 is very close to continuing its actions when, in the next hours, the fourth and last group, Group D, will start with everything in the search for the last 4 teams qualified for the playoffs.

However, a current problem undoubtedly continues to affect many players, especially those of Russian nationality. In this opportunity, we have that Robert “Patsi” Isyanov will not be able to start the tournament with Team Liquid due to visa problems, so the Head Coach of the team, Damian “Daps” Steele, will have to play as a substitute for the first games.

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many Russian players had many problems entering some European countries, especially the United States. However, Malta has also been very forceful in this situation, and now Team Liquid are the loser.

Team Liquid announce that Daps will play for Patsi at the start of Group D of ESL Pro League S18

Through an official statement on its Twitter/X account, Team Liquid announced that Daps is replacing Patsi in the first ESL Pro League S18 matches. This unexpected move comes after the organization announced that Patsi is having trouble getting his visa to enter the country where the event is being held.

EPL Roster Update: Due to Visa issues, @daps will be filling in for @PatsiCSGO for the first match of EPL.
Pending other factors, Patsi should be able to join for the following matches.

Back in the server again, let’s get it coach 🤠🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/4du717Bors

— Team Liquid CSGO (@TeamLiquidCS) September 18, 2023

This means that Team Liquid will have to face their first match of the tournament against Virtus.pro without their star rifler. In addition, it is also worth noting that while Daps is a veteran and experienced coach, he has more than 18 months without playing at the highest competitive level. As a result, things don’t look like they will get off to the best start for Liquid.

There is no doubt that Patsi’s absence is really important for Team Liquid, as the Russian has been the mainstay of the lineup since he joined the team. However, Team Liquid assures that the rifler will be available for the team’s next matches in Malta.

Return of Daps

As mentioned, Daps has more than 18 months without playing at the highest competitive level, but there is no doubt that he has an excellent track record in the CS:GO competitive scene.

The 30-year-old veteran was part of the best NA teams during his time as an active player, and there is no doubt that he proved his skills, versatility, and great leadership.

On the other hand, his excellent performance and ability to handle situations in NRG and OpTic Gaming earned him to be at the top of the region.

Now, we will have to wait and see how rusty Daps might be and how Team Liquid will behave in their match against VP in the ESL Pro League S18 debut. Likewise, the team seems optimistic about getting Patsi back early in the tournament, and, above all, they hope to win their first two games to give the Russian a little more time to get back into the fold.

Header: Team Liquid | Twitter/X