Fresh from their commanding victory against Fnatic in Stage 2 of the VALORANT VCT, Team Liquid’s coach, Ivo "LohaN" Albino, sat down to discuss with Sheep Esports. He spoke about the strategies that fuelled their success, behind-the-scenes contributions of his staff, and the philosophy driving the team’s evolution. In this candid interview, he talks openly about balancing discipline with player creativity, the importance of trust in fostering long-term resilience, and moving up from Tier 2 to the top tier of competition.

What’s your feeling after this match against Fnatic? A huge win for you, and how would you assess the team’s overall performance today?

Ivo "LohaN" Albino: "I’m honestly quite pleased. We had a clear game plan prepared for them, and it worked very well. I think we’re making a statement here: we’re in Stage 2 to win, and we’re aiming for Champions, that’s our ultimate goal. Today, we proved that we can beat one of the best teams in Europe.

What was the key factor behind such dominance on Ascent for you?

LohaN: The key factor was my assistant coach, yaotziN (Daniel Roczniak). He did an outstanding job. He was responsible for Ascent, and I’m genuinely proud of the work and preparation he put into it. The results speak for themselves. I trust him a great deal, and we share many of the responsibilities when preparing for matches. I take certain maps, he takes others. He also handles much of the anti-strategy preparation for specific maps, while I cover the rest. He’s constantly working, watching VODs, identifying issues, and finding solutions. I’m very happy to have him alongside me.

Going into this match, what were your main preparation priorities, and how do you feel the team executed them?

LohaN: Our focus throughout the week was clear. We had predictions for the veto and expected certain maps in the pool, even considering the possibility of Breeze returning. We practiced with the anti-strategies in mind for those maps. The players listened well and learned quickly, though they can sometimes be impatient, especially when we’re running something in practice that doesn’t fully make sense against specific teams or compositions. But at the end of the day, we focused on the process, and they clearly applied the plan effectively today.

How would you describe Team Liquid’s evolution since the start of the season under your leadership?

LohaN: I think we’re still far from reaching our ceiling. There’s plenty of room for growth. With Nikita ("trexx" Cherednichenko) joining, we had to restructure and redefine our identity. There were weeks when we weren’t entirely sure of our direction, but week after week, we’ve been improving. We’re not there yet, but I’m very happy with the trajectory we’re on.

What’s your philosophy as a coach when it comes to building a long-term, resilient team identity, especially in high-pressure environments like VCT?

LohaN: The most important element is trust: players trusting me, trusting the staff, and trusting each other. The individual talent or the names on the roster don’t matter if that trust isn’t there. If the players can’t share the same vision and truly understand one another, the team won’t function. My approach is to build around the team’s strengths. I don’t enforce a single, rigid play style. There are many ways to approach the game structured or loose, but in the end, chemistry, mutual understanding, and playing to our strengths matter most. Even if it’s not the meta, if it works for us, we’ll commit to it.

How do you balance discipline and creativity when working with high-level players like those in Team Liquid?

LohaN: From the start, I wanted the players to develop critical thinking in-game, not just run defaults without understanding the bigger picture. While we established the game’s foundations early on, I avoided over-structuring, so the players could learn to read situations, interpret the minimap, and lead plays themselves. Now, everyone on the team can take charge in different situations, regardless of map or composition. We’ve since worked on striking a balance—maintaining freedom for individual reads while also having clearly structured rounds when needed.

In your opinion, what distinguishes top-tier teams in the current meta preparation, adaptability, leadership, or something else?

LohaN: It’s a mix of several factors. Playing around the meta helps, but playing to your team’s strengths is, in my view, more important. There may be metas that don’t suit us perfectly, but strong team chemistry and mutual trust can overcome those challenges.

How do you personally handle the pressure of major matches, and how do you keep the team grounded in such moments?

LohaN: Pressure is always there for the players and for me. Anyone who claims otherwise either doesn’t care or isn’t being truthful. What matters most is showing confidence, trusting the process, and believing in the work we’ve done. In some situations, I have to make quick, high-stakes decisions for the team. If I believe in them, I know the players will too.

You previously coached in the VCL with Joblife. How would you compare the coaching experience there to VCT, both in process and day-to-day challenges?

LohaN: When I was in Tier 2, I thought I was ready for Tier 1, and in terms of in-game work, I was. But being with the team in person every day, under constant high-pressure decision-making, required an adaptation period. The biggest challenge wasn’t the game, it was relocating to a different country, living with the team 24/7, and managing people rather than just players. That’s an entirely different skill set, and I believe I’ve grown a lot in that area.

We also interviewed Unfake, who spoke highly of you. How do you feel seeing him now in VCT with Vitality?

LohaN: I’m very happy for him. I have a soft spot for coaches and players who’ve made the jump from Tier 2, because I know how much sacrifice it takes to get here. Often, it’s not even entirely in your control whether you get the opportunity. So when I see someone who’s worked hard earn that chance, it’s always gratifying."