YEKINDAR surprised by reports he has ‘many options’

Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis responded to transfer rumours after FURIA’s win over G2 in Riyadh sent the team into the Esports World Cup semifinals. He said he was surprised to see reports claiming he had multiple offers and denied being informed of any approaches.

FURIA reached the last four after defending the map Ancient, which opponents had attempted to use as a punish pick. The squad had also held Ancient against Aurora the previous day. Gaļinskis noted the team began practising Ancient after Overpass was removed from the competitive map pool and that those sessions helped them carry out plans on match day.

Addressing rumours sparked by Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo’s approaching retirement, Gaļinskis acknowledged discussions about the squad’s future and said the team is testing different map roles and leadership setups. He has taken on some in-game leading duties on selected maps, including calling the T side on Ancient, to evaluate how the roster might function without FalleN. He described the IGL role as stressful and said he is unsure whether he will continue in that capacity because it produces too much “cortisol.”

On reports that he and Danil “molodoy” Golubenko could leave FURIA, Gaļinskis dismissed the coverage as premature. “Though I saw news that ‘Oh, YEKINDAR has many options.’ I don’t see the… somebody forgot to tell me, I guess, or something,” he said. He added the group has treated the topic with some humour while focusing on finding a long-term direction.

Gaļinskis outlined the team’s approach to the open roster question: the organisation aims to remain with the current four players and locate a replacement for FalleN, but he acknowledged players may explore other opportunities if the team cannot secure a suitable option. “Hopefully we’re going to stay in four and we’re going to find a good player to replace FalleN,” he said.

On performance, Gaļinskis assessed that FURIA’s tactical execution on Ancient was solid and that earlier losses were driven more by missed shots than by strategic errors. He accepted personal responsibility for a weak showing against Aurora, saying a few key kills could have changed that result. Looking ahead, he expects MOUZ to be a likely semifinal opponent and said momentum and form will determine outcomes. “We just play the game that’s in front of us,” he added.