VIT Hylissang: "We are very confident playing against any botlane duos"

Zdravets "Hylissang" Iliev Galabov, on the analyst desk of the LEC 2024 Summer Season.

"During week 1, I underperformed quite a lot; we all made a lot of mistakes"

Despite starting off the 2024 LEC Summer Season with a 0-3 score, Team Vitality and Zdravets "Hylissang" Galabov are now back and ready to redeem their League of Legends competitive season. In this exclusive interview, the support player delves into the reasons behind the team's recent underperformance, his hopes for the rest of the season, and South Korean imports.

Vitality just came off a convincing 2-0 week. Hylissang, how do you feel after these two matches?

Zdravets "Hylissang" Galabov: "I feel very happy. I feel like we showed a lot of what we practiced in scrims, and I'm very pleased with how we played on stage this weekend. I'm very proud of the boys.

What do you think went wrong in Week 1?

Hylissang: During week 1, I underperformed quite a lot. I think we all made a lot of mistakes, but in these games, I was not playing to my standards, and that hurt our team a lot. I didn't communicate as much as I usually do regarding timings and windows of opportunities in our games. So yeah, it was very hard to play. I think two of our losses were really, really winnable. However, we struggled with executing the final parts of the game and made some crucial mistakes. But that's what we worked on this week: being more on the same page, focusing on one thing at a time, and reducing room for mistakes. I feel like that's what we accomplished. The games were much easier to execute this week.

How has the integration of Linas "Lyncas" Nauncikas been so far? What has been the biggest aspect that you two have had to work on together?

Hylissang: It's mainly about map movements and coordinating actions simultaneously. It's about helping him understand my approach to the game and how he wants to play it. So, we're aiming to see the game from the same perspective, and I think we're achieving that much better this week. I think he's a strong voice, which is a great asset. He's very vocal, and I believe he's intelligent and adaptable in the game. That's an incredibly valuable skill for a jungler to have. With a bit more time and hard work, I think we can become really good together.

Carzzy and Hylissang, competing in the LEC 2024 Summer Season. Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games

Last split, you told us that you wished for this team to reach Worlds. With several teams improving and contending for the top spots in the LEC, how do you see your chances of making it right now?

Hylissang: If we play like we did in week 1, our chances are slim. If we play like we did in week 2, I think we have really good odds of getting there, but it's not enough. What we've shown so far isn't sufficient to perform well there. It's hard for me to say because we're quite inconsistent right now. But if we become more comfortable with our picks, I'm confident that we have what it takes to qualify for Worlds and hopefully perform well.

What is the biggest issue that you guys need to work on to get to that level?

Hylissang: The thing that's still missing is being more aware of what's happening in the game, not just in your lane, toplane, or botlane, but also where the enemy is vulnerable and where we can position ourselves to take advantage of that. We're improving, but we're not there yet.

We've seen the rise of South Korean botlane imports recently. Do you think there are any specific reasons why we're seeing this right now?

Hylissang: I'm not sure, honestly. It's not only bot anes either. Usually, if a team doesn't like how their players perform, they first look if there's a viable European player available but, since it's sometimes hard to find good players who aren't already contracted to another team, it's often easier to go for a Korean player since there are so many that are also playing well in their Challenger scene. It's easier to hire someone from Korea, even if the language barrier is still a concern. If they communicate well together and have a decent understanding of English, then it usually works out. I'm not sure if these teams are making the right choice if they are looking for long-term solutions, but it can definitely work well in the short term.

Hylissang during his match against Team Heretics. Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games

Where do you think your duo with Matyáš "Carzzy" Orság stands among other botlaners of the LEC?

Hylissang: I'm not really sure how to rank us. I think Carzzy and I are very confident playing against any botlane duos. I don't think we're the strongest in lane, but we're very good players when it comes to playing the map, team fighting, and knowing where to be at the right time. There are a lot of aspects to consider when ranking a botlaner, but if I had to give a quick answer, I'd say probably top three right now, something like that. It depends, though.

Next week, you will be facing GIANTX and Karmine Corp. Do you have any thoughts on these two matches?

Hylissang: I think both teams aren't performing too well if I'm not mistaken. Karmine Corp has been losing a lot, but when we played them in scrims, they were very good, and GIANTX were also not too bad. So, I don't think it will be easy for us. We shouldn't underestimate them because they can have good games. Obviously, I expect us to win and perform well against them."

Header Photo Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games