After the conclusion of Glitched Masters 2025, we had the opportunity to speak with the tournament champion Oleksij "Topa" Topchijenko. With the captain of Passion UA, we discussed the challenges the team faced at the event and the coach's impact on the team's results.

Congratulations on the victory! This is the first championship for Passion UA at a LAN tournament. What emotions are you experiencing?

Thank you for the congratulations!

On the day of the victory, the "emotional baggage" was already exhausted, as the two days were very tough. There were many intense matches, little time to rest between games, very early wake-ups, and late finishes. But I genuinely believe that such days and paths not only make the team but each of us more resilient to stress and shape a fighter's character.

At the beginning of the tournament, things clearly didn’t go as planned. What was the team's mood after the loss to Fnatic? What words were said, and what did you do to switch gears and prepare for the ongoing battle?

Of course, it was unpleasant to lose that match, but it was clear why it happened. At this LAN tournament, there were many speeches tailored to specific situations, matches, and cases.

The speedrun through the lower bracket was simply incredible. Which opponent was the toughest and most unpleasant? Did you prepare for specific opponents, or did you rely more on your own strategies? Since there was very little time between matches.

I don't know about the guys, but I don't even categorize matches as easy or hard because almost all of them were close. We prepared for each opponent because we respect each of them. But everything happened at a very accelerated pace—sometimes I didn't even have time to read the analytics during breaks between matches. Yet, for almost every game, we had concise and crucial information about the opponents.

Yesterday, you had to play four Bo3 matches in one day. How challenging is that mentally and physically?

Four Bo3s are something "different" (laughs). We've had to play like that online before, so I think that helped us. But both physically and mentally, it's very tough. So it was a constant work on oneself, self-motivation, and mentoring within the team.

How did you prepare for the final and the rematch against Fnatic? They had time to rest, while you had to keep playing.

On one hand, it exhausted us, but on the other, we constantly remained in a state of tension, focus, and struggle. We sincerely understood that even after so many matches, we could win if we gave it our all.

How did the final match differ from the game in the upper bracket? The opponent was the same, the players were the same, but the result was completely different.

Thanks to speeches, a different game plan, and a focus on certain aspects, the result changed.

In the first match, you chose Mirage, and in the second, Dust2. Why these maps?

It was about the feeling of the moment—how the team and players felt on a particular map at that time.

You have been working under the guidance of T.c for several months now. How comfortable is it to work with him? What has he brought to the team? Where is his impact most noticeable?

Working with him is extremely comfortable, without any barriers or inconveniences. I have a very warm and close relationship with him, and it’s not just related to our team or CS.

The most important thing for me is the structure of the training and the plans for them. That's why, in the same amount of time, we can gain much more impact from game reviews and theoretical sessions.