XTQZZZ: Nothing Is Guaranteed as Vitality Face Falcons

At IEM Cologne, Team Vitality will meet Falcons in the quarter-finals after advancing from a group stage that Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam described as shaky. The team lost to Team Falcons in their last three encounters and faces them next in Cologne.

XTQZZZ pointed to poor decision-making and hesitant play as the main problems in the group stage. He said Vitality had communication but did not act as a unit, and that opponents often dictated the pace. He cited the match against 9z and a Dust2 loss to MOUZ as examples where the CT side and timing issues reappeared. Even in the win over BetBoom, XTQZZZ noted the T side showed hesitation when closing rounds.

The player estimated the squad’s communication and reactions were about “5% less good” than expected. He traced part of the issue to disrupted preparation: a month off, time in the United States, and an initial bootcamp that did not feel sharp. XTQZZZ said the first two bootcamp days were poor for mentality and that the team had a hard internal discussion to refocus.

XTQZZZ warned that the Major setting increases pressure and that the team must at least “play good.” He said Vitality have three days before the knockout rounds to tidy their map pool and return to their usual style and conviction.

The playoff bracket will present a tough run. The squad, with Dan “apEX” Madesclaire leading in-game, could face Spirit, FURIA or G2 in later rounds if they advance. XTQZZZ described the bracket as “insane” but added the team prefers to meet top opponents on the way to the title.

He noted Falcons field a different version of the roster with karrigan and said preparations will focus on maps and routine practice. “We need to think about the map pool,” he added, and the team will prepare as usual to see how it goes.

XTQZZZ urged the squad to trust its play and regain its DNA. He framed the Falcons match as an opportunity for revenge after three straight losses to them and said the recent results are a warning that past success does not guarantee future wins.

Background: Vitality entered IEM Cologne as one of the favourites, pursuing consecutive Major-level titles and the rare prospect of a three-peat last achieved by Astralis in 2018-19. The coach and captain have focused on fixing fundamentals and sharpening mental focus after an uneven group phase, ahead of the high-stakes quarter-final in Cologne.