Natus Vincere roster sat down with SoMarcus to reflect on their group stage performance in VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 1. From the pressure of a stacked group to their breakthrough win against Vitality, the players — Kyrylo "ANGE1" Karasov, Emirhan "hiro" Kat, GianFranco "koalanoob" Potestio and head coach Vincent "Happy" Schopenhauer — shared key insights into their preparation, mindset shifts, and what lies ahead in the playoffs starting May 8.

Pressure of being placed in “Group of Death”

After the group draw, several players felt the weight of being in what many considered the toughest bracket of the stage.

ANGE1: Our group looked stronger with teams like Fnatic, Heretics, Vitality, Liquid, and KC.

Hiro: It looked really competitive. Definitely tougher than the other group.

Happy: Everyone rated Vitality and Heretics high… ours felt slightly harder.

Koalanoob: Facing strong teams early helped us see where we stood and what to improve. 

Win against Vitality

The victory against Vitality seemed to mark a psychological shift for the entire team.

ANGE1: We looked like a different team. Our mental approach changed. 

Hiro: I did more theory and individual review than usual. It helped. 

Happy: Vitality weren’t at their best. They changed comps and didn’t look ready. 

Koalanoob: Our coach said that was our ‘normal’ — how we play in scrims. We finally showed it on stage.

Team growth and consistency issues

The players reflected honestly on their personal performances and what NAVI needs to improve.

ANGE1: Our problem is consistency. We go up, then down. We need to stabilize emotionally and tactically. 

Hiro: I’d rate myself 7–7.5. Some great games, some poor ones. 

Happy: Against Vitality, it felt like everything clicked. 

Koalanoob: I’d give myself a 6–6.5. I showed maybe 60% of what I can do.

Who they want to face in the playoffs

While some players are focused purely on competition, others have more personal motivations.

ANGE1: I’d like to play BBL. We played them a lot in scrims. Curious how it would go officially. 

Hiro: BBL looks strong and motivated. 

Happy: I’d love to shut down Jamppi. He’s been loud lately. 

Koalanoob: I want revenge against Liquid and KC. Their comps are interesting.

Natus Vincere finished the VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 1 group stage in third place. With a new mental coach on board and renewed confidence, the team is aiming to qualify for VCT 2025: Masters Toronto. NAVI will face BBL Esports in the upper bracket quarterfinals on May 8 at 15:00 UTC. You can find out more about the match at the link.