After defeating Natus Vincere 2-0 in their third match of the
VALORANT Champions Tour
EMEA Stage 2 Group Stage, Gentle Mates climbed to the top of their group with a 2-1 record. Despite a challenging week marked by illness and preparation difficulties, the team delivered a strong performance against one of the top contenders in EMEA.
A few minutes after the win, Patrik
"Minny" Hušek reflected on the team’s recent improvements, his transition to the Duelist role,
Yusuf Emre "Proxh" Tunc’s return to the roster, and the team's ambitions in the race for Champions qualification.
How are you feeling after the match?
Patrik "Minny" Hušek: “I’m exhausted. Honestly, the whole team is still a bit sick, so we’ve all been lacking energy lately. But despite that, I’m really happy. We managed to push through. Everyone worked incredibly hard this week. The players, the coaching staff, everyone put in a massive amount of effort. We found a new way to prepare for our matches and work together more efficiently. Even when we had to scrim with substitutes, nobody gave up. We all believed we were going to win today, and that’s exactly what happened.
You mentioned your preparation. What changed behind the scenes that allowed the team to look so much stronger today?
Minny: We mainly changed the way we work with the coaching staff and starxo (Patryk Kopczynski). We were already discussing a lot of small details before, but after last week we felt we needed to spend much more time together to make sure we were fully aligned when it came to strategy and preparation. We simply invested more hours. The coaches did an incredible job, and every single player stepped up. I’m really proud of everyone on the team.
You recently transitioned to the Duelist role. How has that change been for you so far? Was it something you were already comfortable with?
Minny: Honestly, it feels great. I feel like I can have a much bigger impact on the outcome of the game. When I was playing Sentinel, there were matches where I felt the result wasn't really in my hands. Now, as a Duelist, I lead the pack. I have to be faster, aim better, make more plays, and take more responsibility. I love that. That being said, I definitely wasn't comfortable on Duelist at first. It was a completely new role for me. I spend around 15 hours a day grinding, watching VODs, studying ranked games, VCT matches, anything I can learn from. That's how I've been improving, and I'm not planning to stop anytime soon.
Do you think Duelist suits you better than Sentinel?
Minny: I'm not sure it suits me better individually. I think it's simply what our team needed. I still believe I was an incredible Sentinel. There aren't many Sentinel players who are as vocal as I am while being able to anchor a site alone. But for this roster, having me on Duelist makes much more sense. I've only been playing the role for about a month, so I still have a lot of room to improve. We'll see how far I can take it.
How does playing Duelist allow you to showcase your strengths more effectively?
Minny: I'm a very vocal player. I love making mid-round calls, talking during freeze times, and helping lead the team. As a Duelist, I can now lead the charge myself. Before, as a Sentinel, I often had ideas but couldn't always execute them the way I wanted. Now I can create space, dictate the pace, and influence the game much more directly. And my Operator has been looking pretty good lately as well, so that definitely helps.
M8 Minny during the game against NAVI. Credit: Michał Konkol/Riot Games.
The Esports World Cup took place in Paris, in front of Gentle Mates' home crowd. What was that experience like for you?
Minny: It felt like a dream come true. When I think back to myself as a ten-year-old kid just playing games with friends, I could never have imagined something like this. The atmosphere was incredible. The fans kept cheering for us throughout the entire event and never stopped believing in us. Gentle Mates fans are simply amazing. Their support makes us love competing even more and gives every player on the team extra motivation. I just hope we can keep giving them the results they're hoping for.
Proxh recently returned to the starting five. What has he brought to the team, both inside and outside the server?
Minny: In-game, he brings incredible firepower. He's also an extremely hungry player. He's still very young and doesn't have much Tier 2 experience. Last year, he only played a little bit of Tier 1 with me. But his potential is enormous. Outside the server, he brings fantastic energy to the team. He's someone who naturally brings everyone closer together. We're always eating together, joking around, spending time together. He's made the atmosphere within the team much better. I'm really happy to have him here, and I hope we'll spend many more years together at Gentle Mates.
Champions qualification is getting closer. Does the team feel any extra pressure at this stage of the season?
Minny: There's always going to be pressure. But at the end of the day, it's still another tournament. We wanted to qualify for Masters, for the Esports World Cup, now we want to qualify for Champions. The only difference is that there's one extra slot available this year. Nothing really changes for us. Everyone is taking responsibility and putting in the work. If we don't qualify despite doing everything we possibly can, I'll be able to accept that. Right now, I have absolutely no regrets because we're giving everything we've got. And honestly, I'm 100% convinced that we can make it.
Since the roster changes and the role swap, what aspect of the team's gameplay has improved the most?
Minny: I think we're playing with much more purpose now. Whenever we're taking map control or executing a strategy, everyone knows exactly what we're trying to achieve. Before, there were too many situations where everyone was doing something different and just hoping to win their individual duels. Now we're actually playing as a team, and I think that's been the biggest improvement.
If you had to predict the four EMEA teams that will qualify for Champions, who would you pick?
Minny: I'd go with Vitality, Gentle Mates, and Fnatic. I really hope Fnatic make it.
I like Boaster (Jake Howlett) a lot, and I'd be genuinely happy to see them qualify. For the fourth spot, I'd probably say either FUT Esports or BBL. It would be great to have a Turkish team representing EMEA on the international stage.”
