For the first time in 2026,
are on a three-series win streak after taking down
2-0 in the
LEC 2026 Summer Split. After a difficult year so far for the boys in black and orange, momentum finally seems to be shifting in their favor as the historic organization looks to reclaim its place among Europe’s best, currently sitting in fourth place ahead of their match against
on Monday.
In an exclusive interview, midlaner
sat down with
Sheep Esports to discuss his return to form, the improving mood within the team, as well as the ambitions and goals he has set for himself this summer.
How does it feel to be on a three-series winning streak, and has the improved run changed the mood within the team?
Vladimiros "Vladi" Kourtidis: “[Chuckles] Yeah, it's way better than when we were 0-3, obviously. I wouldn’t say we’re that happy since it’s still regular season and we haven’t locked in playoffs. We’re still taking it game by game. But obviously, it does feel good for everyone in the team to be on a six-game winning streak now.
How are you feeling mentally now that the team is in a much better position, and has this improved performance given you more confidence?
Vladi: Yeah. Individually, I'm playing way better in many aspects. And as a team, I think I'm confident with how we play. Sure, we just beat the last-placed team today, but I still think we won convincingly, at least in the first game. The second game was a bit more sloppy, but I think we're doing good stuff on the map. We are using the same concepts that the best teams in the world do, and we apply them as well.
What do you think is behind your improved performance? Do you feel like you have greater synergy with now, for example?
Vladi: I would say that Razork and I are both playing way better together than we were in spring. We’re also just more connected as a duo now even compared to the first weeks of summer.
helps a lot with his calls on when he wants to swap or who goes where on side lanes. These things help a lot, obviously.
I think I’m also playing with much more confidence simply because I can see us playing way better around the map. When your team plays the map well, you can feel more free to make plays and lane however you want to.
You seem rather close with Soboro. How would you describe your relationship with him, and do you feel that having him around helps you?
Vladi: Yeah, I mean, we're making a lot of jokes, and we're also talking a lot. His English is pretty impressive. So yeah, we are pretty close together as teammates, and we’re both having fun with each other.
Do you spend time with Soboro outside of scrims, such as doing activities together or playing solo queue?
Vladi: We don't really do activities, but we will go outside to eat or... Yeah, mostly just going outside to eat. And then in our free time when we play solo queue, we just talk to each other and say some random stuff.
Do you think Soboro is now the second most brain-rotted person on the team?
Vladi: [Laughs] Considering the other three, I would say so. Yeah, he's saying some pretty silly things.
The question on everyone’s mind now is: can Fnatic make the top three? How confident are you going into your upcoming matches against , , and ? All three are teams fighting for that spot.
Vladi: In my eyes, we can for sure make it to the top three—we can even win the split. If you don’t think this way, there’s no point in competing. I think we are a better team than all three of them. We just need to do the same things we did in our recent games, notably against
. We had very good map awareness, and we just need to keep playing with that same confidence. Obviously, momentum also helps a lot right now. Overall, I’d say I’m confident. When it comes to the regular season, I think we can beat all three of these teams and maybe secure top four that way so that we can go to Madrid and fight for a Worlds spot.
You are talking about not only making the top three but also winning the entire split. Do you feel like this confidence was missing from Fnatic during the last two splits?
Vladi: Yeah, I think so. People were not very… I mean, we were for sure not confident in the last two splits. After seeing our results, especially during the LEC Versus where we barely made playoffs and then got swept, I think that people in the team lost confidence. That was made even worse when we didn’t make playoffs in spring. People then maybe started to think that we were a team fighting for sixth at best, but now things are way better. I’m pretty sure everyone on the team thinks that winning the split is possible.
What do you think is Fnatic's biggest strength, and what could give you the edge over the other teams?
Vladi: I think we are playing side lanes very well. Like, when there is an objective, we know when to be there, how to manage and take positions, and where to be or what to do if we need to give the objective. We are pretty fast usually and smart on how to do this. We are probably one of the best teams at that.
After two years in the LEC, how has your relationship with the league evolved in terms of your long-term goals, aspirations, and mindset, and do you feel differently when you step on stage now compared to when you first joined in 2024?
Vladi: I would say that I'm way less nervous today. When you arrive in the LEC, you will face players that have been in tier one for a while—maybe years—so there’s definitely some pressure.
In my case, after two years in the LEC, stepping on the stage just feels like a normal day, at least most of the time. As I said, I was feeling a bit more nervous at the start of summer because of our results in spring and winter. I think it showed in my performance against
, for example. But overall, with experience comes confidence.
With NAVI being your next opponent on Monday, are you preparing for the match differently, or are you approaching it like any other game?
Vladi: I mean, not really. I would say it's just another game. We just need to not overthink our standings. Sure, we’ve just gotten six wins in a row, but we shouldn’t get overconfident. You need to think as if you were 0-0 in the standings. This is just another game, so let’s play to our style. I think we’ll win that way.”
