apEX says Vitality’s grind in Rio is forcing him to rein in the banter
The Vitality captain said he sometimes has to prioritize the IGL job over trash talk as the team pushes through a rougher-than-expected run at IEM Rio.
Vitality captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire said the team’s run through IEM Rio has asked more of him as an in-game leader, especially when the match is messy and the usual back-and-forth on server starts to take a back seat.
Speaking in an interview tied to the event, apEX said he had to focus on the tactical side of the job rather than lean only on trash talk when Vitality were struggling. The comment came after a tighter-than-expected win over G2, a match apEX called the team’s worst in the last three months.
Vitality came into Rio after already collecting three titles in 2026, but that form has not translated into easy wins. apEX said the team have still been dealing with pressure well overall, even if the performances have not always been clean. He also noted that the group is chasing the Intel Grand Slam and wants to finish it as soon as possible before turning full attention to the Major.
He pointed to the upcoming playoff path as another test, with Vitality due to face the winner of Spirit vs. Falcons. apEX said Falcons would likely be dangerous with less pressure on them, while Spirit have had a tougher year and are hard to read. Either way, he expects a difficult match.
The French captain also touched on Vitality’s broken 24-map streak, saying records matter less than results. He said the team are not in Rio to collect milestones, but to win the trophy, even if the path there gets ugly.
On the individual side, apEX laughed off Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut missing out on an MVP to Robin “ropz” Kool, saying it was good for ZywOo to have real competition for once. For Vitality, though, the bigger goal remains the same. As apEX put it, trophies matter more than awards.
If you’ve been following Vitality’s run in Rio, tell us what you think in the comments. You can also join us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.
Counter-Strike 2
Developed by Valve
For over two decades, Counter-Strike has offered an elite competitive experience, one shaped by millions of players from across the globe. And now the next chapter in the CS story is about to begin. This is Counter-Strike 2.
A free upgrade to CS:GO, Counter-Strike 2 marks the largest technical leap in Counter-Strike’s history. Built on the Source 2 engine, Counter-Strike 2 is modernized with realistic physically-based rendering, state of the art networking, and upgraded Community Workshop tools.
- Genre: Shooter, Tactical
- Platforms: Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows)
- Modes: Single player, Multiplayer
- Release: 2023-09-27
- Publisher: Valve
-
Age Rating:
GRAC 19+ / PEGI 18 / USK 18 / CERO Z / ESRB M / CLASS_IND 18 / ACB R 18+
- IGDB Rating: 67.3/100
