jL: I can’t play my best while copying mezii

Justinas “jL” Lekavicius stepped in for mezii at the BLAST Open Porto, taking on utility and site-support duties as Team Vitality recovered from an opening loss to Inner Circle and secured a playoff spot with subsequent wins over Legacy and FUT.

jL said the opening defeat helped the team identify gaps in communication and adjust his temporary role. “For me, after the loss it was a lot easier to play,” he told reporters at the media day before the playoffs, adding that many in-game situations are reactive and not always obvious from a written role description.

He described his responsibilities as covering many of mezii’s standard tasks: throwing utility, taking first or second entry on some rounds and supporting teammates on-site. In rounds without a set plan he aims to play his own instincts rather than force another player’s style. “I feel like I cannot play my best game being someone else,” he explained.

jL credited teammates for easing the transition, naming flameZ, apEX, ZywOo and ropz as players who adjusted communication and called for discussion after the first match. He highlighted flameZ for speaking up early to prompt more in-match talk and strategy checks.

He compared the Vitality stand-in to previous short stints with other teams. At Liquid he focused on winning rounds without overthinking roles; at MOUZ he tried to fit a role that did not suit him. With Vitality he has taken on specific duties associated with mezii and then reverted to his own play when the round allows.

jL said he feels comfortable in the lineup and prefers the responsibilities he has at Vitality to some roles he played at his former teams. His form included the second-best rated LAN map of his career in a match against 9z during the event.

Looking ahead to the playoffs, he expressed confidence in Vitality regardless of the opponent and noted preparation work on upcoming opponents’ patterns. He also mentioned that FURIA have been affected by a health issue for player molodoy, which could influence that match. “I feel like we are confident against any team,” he stated, adding that open communication within the squad has helped him fit in.