G2 Labrov: "Coming back from Worlds, I thought the LEC would be easier [...] I learned my lesson"
The reigning LEC champions have had a rocky start this season. The team’s support dives into the reasons behind the team's struggles.
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Labros "Labrov" Papoutsakis, support of G2 Esports in the 2026 LEC Versus. Photo Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games
"I feel like, on day one, we didn’t really follow our usual match day routine. That made a big difference."
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After a rough start to the 2026 League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) Versus, G2 Esports finally got their first win of the season, convincingly defeating SK Gaming to end the opening week on a high note. In an exclusive interview with Sheep Esports, G2 support Labros “Labrov” Papoutsakis reflected on the team’s return to the LEC, lessons learned from the first week, and how he’s approaching his second year with the roster after a strong 2025 season.
How does it feel to finally get a win on the board—does it bring a sense of relief after the first two tough days?
Labros "Labrov" Papoutsakis: "Yeah, it feels great. Finally getting our first win of 2026, especially on BrokenBlade (Sergen Çelik)’s birthday as well [chuckles]. And yeah, it’s nice, you know, like bouncing back after the first two tough days. So I’m excited for the upcoming weeks.
How has the return to the LEC been for the team? When did you start scrimming, how have scrims been going, and how do you feel about your level so far?
Labrov: We started scrimming in December, and I think we had two weeks of scrims. Then we went off, and we came back on the 2nd of January, and we scrimmed for like ten days or something. Honestly, the scrims have been going well. I feel like we just need more time to play back on stage and feel more comfortable. It’s also BO1, and that makes a lot of the games very shaky so far. You can see it with pretty much every team in the LEC. I feel like nearly every team in the LEC could beat one another. We really didn’t show a great face this week, but I think we’re getting stronger and stronger game by game, and I think we’ll come back to our old form soon enough.
With G2 keeping the same roster and Romain Bigeard publicly backing all of you, does that create extra pressure on the team to prove they’re the best in the region?
Labrov: Yeah, I mean, generally, playing in G2, you’re just expected to win and lift trophies. Otherwise, your split is considered a failure. I don’t think it’s necessarily about what Romain or people on social media say. Everyone here already has that mindset, and we do feel some pressure on our own. In my experience, at least, I don't focus on what people say online.
On a personal level, are you approaching your second year in G2 differently now, after winning the LEC and reaching Worlds quarterfinals? Has that changed the way you view competition in the LEC?
Labrov: To be honest, after a good year at Worlds, playing at the highest level against really strong teams and performing well—at least in scrims—I thought coming back to the LEC would be easier. But that was a very wrong mindset. You need to give 100% every single time. I think that was part of the reason this week didn’t go so well. For me, I thought it would be easier, and I ended up getting humbled twice. I’m not sure if the rest of the team had the same mindset, but for sure I’ll change my approach for the next weeks.
Have there been any team discussions about mindset, especially after going 0-2 yesterday? Did others share similar thoughts, or was it mainly your own reflection?
Labrov: I feel like, for example, on the first day of LEC, we didn’t really follow our usual match day routine. That made a big difference. After going 0-2 in the previous two days, I felt like today everyone gave 100% to make a good plan and see what we could do. For me, at least, I learned my lesson, and moving forward, I’ll give 100% every single day.
Riot recently reintroduced duo queue, which many LEC bot lanes have benefited from. Have you and Steven "Hans Sama" Liv noticed the impact of this change? Do you feel that playing duo queue helps you improve together more quickly?
Labrov: It’s definitely a nice thing. In the long run, it can be very beneficial, especially once some time passes and the ladder stabilizes. Right now, even if you’re challenger, you don’t fully play in challenger lobbies since it’s early in the season, which is normal. I also just really enjoy playing duo queue with Hans.
With so many roster changes in the LEC, how do you assess the overall level in Europe? Do you think G2 will face tough competition this year?
Labrov: Well, it’s the start of the year, so it’s hard to judge the overall level. But so far, for example in the first week, seeing everyone beating everyone on stage has actually been really nice to watch. It shows that every team can win and that the level is strong. I think it’s good for the overall competition and environment. So it’s hard to say exactly, but I definitely think the LEC can be strong this year.
What do you think about Alan "Busio" Cwalina joining the LEC, especially since you’ve played against him internationally and even knocked him out in the Worlds quarterfinals?
Labrov: Busio is a very good player, and it’s nice to play against him more. In Europe, he does some things that not many people do, and it’s fun playing against him a lot. I feel like it also makes the overall support player pool stronger for sure."
Armand Luque is an interviewer and journalist with deep roots in the EMEA League of Legends scene. A veteran of the esports world, they hail from France and are best known for their work on Leaguepedi...