After NAVI was eliminated from the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, we spoke with the team's coach, Andrii "B1ad3" Horodenskyi. We discussed the team's changes and what was lacking for victory in the match. Andrii also talked about s1mple's impact on NAVI.

How do you evaluate your performance today against Vitality? It was tough for you, but you managed to handle the pressure. How do you rate this game?

Not bad, but it could have been much better. As always, we were just a bit short in certain moments. Just a little, just a little short.

Which map was the toughest for you today?

I think Mirage was even a bit tougher than Nuke. I could say they were on the same level. For me, it's the same. We struggled on both maps, and we took some great rounds on both, but in the end, both were very close. If we had taken one important round on Mirage, their economy would have been affected, and things would have been different. So, we played Nuke better in terms of score, but both maps were tough, yet we had chances on both. We understood what to do on both maps, understood what they were doing, and knew what needed to be done to prevent them from executing their plans. So, there was an understanding; it wasn't one-sided.

You mentioned something about reshuffles. What does the future hold for NAVI?

We'll see, we'll see. We'll sit down and look into it. For the next season, we need to have a competitive team, a competitive lineup. We can't stand still; we need to develop because all teams, all organizations are trying to break through, and they are progressing and changing their lineups. There's a constant race for elite spots, like in the top 5, top 10. It's very important not to stand still to avoid stagnation.

Does s1mple's return to the big stage, despite being in FaZe Clan now, put any pressure on the team?

No, there's no pressure. Influence or pressure? Influence? It's just interesting to see how they play. Everyone was curious if Sasha could perform in a new lineup, such an elite one like FaZe, compared to the history with Falcons. And he surprised everyone, maybe surprised someone, and showed that he can do it when he wants to.

You almost made a comeback on Nuke, what was missing?

We were just a bit short on taking the Anti-eco because we had a good plan. We were supposed to wait for their push in the lobby, and we had protocols on how to act depending on their push. We made a small mistake, went to A instead of ramp. I don't know why, I don't know. Then, there were rounds where we quickly and effectively took control, and in this Anti-eco, we were missing that, while in others, where we didn't need to, we did it. But that round was more important. I don't know why it happened, but it was a bit of a rollercoaster.

Do you want to say anything to the fans who are watching and supporting your team?

Yes, thank you very much for your support. We feel the support, we constantly get updates on how things are going. Our European guys don't follow much because they are focused on themselves; they don't know much, but we feel it. Ukrainians know that NAVI is very supported in Ukraine, and it's a pity we faced Vitality today. I think we had chances to beat other teams.