For their first match since the
VCT EMEA Stage 1 Grand Final,
Team Vitality showed that they had not lost any momentum. Facing
Dragon Ranger Gaming on the opening day of Masters London, the European team delivered a composed and disciplined performance to secure their opening Play-Ins victory (2-0), conceding only eight rounds across the two maps.
Following the win, which also marked his first victory at an international event, Team Vitality rookie Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu sat down with Sheep Esports to share his initial impressions of the experience and reflect on the team's performance.
What is your first feeling after the game?
Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu: “Very happy. I'm proud of the team, proud of myself and nothing much to say, it was just a very good game by us.
The first time we spoke was your first VCT EMEA game, now it’s your first international game. What does it feel to play on the international stage?
Sayonara: Just like last time, I am proud of myself, but also the stage here is incredible. The fans are incredible so it was a much more memorable experience here. But I'm still proud of both games, my debut on the regional and international stage.
Did you see a difference between your first game in VCT EMEA and this game?
Sayonara: No, if I do my routine and I stick to what I believe, I don't crack under pressure. I feel it but it doesn't affect me. So I just go into the game with the same consistency, with the same stuff, and pressure will never do anything.
How did the preparation go for your team since the end of Stage 1 to now? What have you been working on?
Sayonara: We fixed our gaps and added more depth to our playbook and we've been focusing on ourselves. We didn't really care what the enemy would bring, we just wanted to be better than what we were in the past. It's going well, we need to keep going and go back to the practice room and keep fixing stuff but overall I can see improvement and I'm happy.
The last time we saw your team was in the VCT EMEA finals, now that some weeks had passed, what would you say was missing at this time to win the game and you should have been doing better to win the trophy?
Sayonara: Well, my team doesn't like when I say this, but I do believe it was a bit of my fault. They always say it's a team game, we lose together, we win together and I agree, we did lose that game together. But that match was a bit of my fault. I was overthinking about it, and I let the pressure get to me. And that's why I was a bit shaky. We also did mess up some things overall as a team, but that we are fixing right now, and that’s good. In that final, if I had been myself, there is no chance we wouldn’t have win.
To talk about your opponent of today, DRG were the third seed of VCT China, a region that is sometimes presented as the weaker one because of the results at the international stage. What are your own opinions on DRG first, and the region overall?
Sayonara: To be fair, the score doesn't show how strong they are. I do believe DRG is not a bad team. If you let them play their game and you let them dictate you, they are a tough opponent. That's why it was good today that we were dictating the pace, but I think if you let them get in your face and let them do what they want, they're a very annoying team to play against and they can for sure pull an upset. Just like the last game of NRG and XLG, I think during this game, there was a big potential for an upset.
For the Chinese teams, they just need to figure out how to play their game more and not to focus on the enemy. I think that's a bit of a problem for them, but when they play their game, they are very annoying opponents to play against. It's a very unique play style that you don't play against every single day, so a surprise is possible for sure, I think that they'll bounce back.
I know it's your first international competition, so it might be a bit hard to judge now, but what would you say is the biggest difference between EMEA’s level and the other regions?
Sayonara: I've said this for a long time, I think EMEA's biggest problem is that they don't play their game in the international competition. I think we sent good teams last year, even in 2024. The teams are good, but they crumble under pressure in international games and I think that's the problem. We are not a weak region. We are capable of winning, capable of playing against all play styles. We just need to figure out how to play our game more against other teams and not let them dictate it with a different or unique playstyle or something that we’ve never seen before. So I think EMEA is a strong region. It competes with every single other region. We just need to be a bit better under pressure and focus more on ourselves than the enemy.
Do you feel like the teams representing the region in London are able to do that?
Sayonara: I believe so. I think Team Heretics will get a little bit affected by the Neon’s nerf, but they are still a strong team. They're still a team that made four finals. They're undoubtedly a contender. And I think FUT Esports have that unique play style in them. If they get to play their game, I think they are capable of pulling through, maybe getting a playoffs qualification. I think the teams that we've sent right now are strong and are all capable of pulling a good game and at least going top four, top eight for sure.
Which team are you looking to play against the most right now?
Sayonara: I have a classic answer but G2. I still remember the game I played against them in Red Bull Home Ground (with Fnatic, where Sayonara lost in the final against G2). I still want my revenge, and I will get my revenge.
What would you say are the conditions for Team Vitality to win the Masters? Playing your game for sure, but is there anything else important to do than that?
Sayonara: Every single team is different, but for us, it is more about having fun, letting loose a little bit on the stage, focusing on ourselves and also just as the famous saying goes, “stick to the plan”. We need to have the same vision together and play on the same page. So I think if we loosen up and play our game, there is no one that can go in between us.
When you say you need to have a bit of fun, does that mean that’s how your team deals with the pressure?
Sayonara: Yes, for sure I think when the game gets very tied, we get quite angry and we don't know what to do, that's when we play our worst. I think that's what happened a little bit in the Grand Final. But when we let loose, we have fun and we ignore whatever is going on around us. I think that's when we're at our best.”
