Sources: Sheydos set to be benched by Karmine Corp ahead of VCT EMEA Stage 1

According to sources close to Sheep Esports, Karmine Corp is set to make a roster change ahead of VCT EMEA Stage 1, with Bogdan "Sheydos" Naumov being benched while advanced discussions are taking place with Marshall "N4RRATE" Massey. The French organization, which had already replaced three of its five players at the start of the season, does not appear to have been convinced by its Kickoff performance and the failure to qualify for VALORANT Masters Santiago and could take advantage of the North American player being dropped by Sentinels to try to recruit him once again.

Having spent nearly three years with KOI, Sheydos is one of the VCT EMEA players with the most Tier 1 experience and matches, from his early days with Gambit Esports to his Kickoff with Karmine Corp. After several months on the bench of the Spanish organization in 2025, it was ultimately Andrey "Engh" Sholokhov, coach of KC, who called on him to serve as the In-Game Leader for the project in 2026. An adventure that now appears to have been short-lived, as the player is expected to be placed on the bench by the French organization.

The 2026 Kickoff began poorly against Natus Vincere with a 0-2 defeat that sent Karmine Corp into the Middle Bracket. Against Team Liquid, the club of Kamel Kebir managed to secure the first map while conceding only two rounds before failing to close out the series on the following two maps. After dropping into the Lower Bracket following these two setbacks, KCorp eventually claimed their first win by eliminating FUT Esports 2-1 from the race to Masters Santiago. The lower bracket run ultimately came to an end against Team Heretics in the following round, with a 1-2 loss. Once again, they had secured the opening map while conceding only two rounds to their opponent but were unable to finish the job, leaving the French club empty-handed.

The VALORANT EMEA Clash, which featured teams from both the VCT and Tier 2, proved no more favorable for the BlueWall. Defeated 2-1 by FUT Esports, whom they had beaten just a few days earlier, the club dropped to the lower bracket against Enterprise Esports, where they suffered a 2-0 loss. It was a swift elimination from a tournament that could have helped them build new momentum against teams theoretically below their level.