Mechanically gifted players are a necessity in a professional VALORANT team, but success in esports demands far more. Team Vitality’s VCT 2025 roster had the talent and potential, yet they failed to deliver—and as Derke reflected, their struggles weren’t the result of a single flaw, but “something” they couldn’t pinpoint.
In an interview with Sheep Esports, when asked why things fell apart for Vitality in VCT EMEA Stage Two’s playoffs, Derke didn’t have an elaborate explanation at first. “Something went wrong, and we can’t even put a finger on it,” he said. “We just didn’t play like we practiced.” Yet as the interview unfolded, pieces of the puzzle began to surface.
When asked about Sayf’s re-entry, Derke didn’t hesitate to appreciate his contribution during Stage Two. “Sayf came in, identified our problems, and tried to fix them,” Derke said. He further stressed that Sayf communicated really well and did great in the short time he had. “Maybe if he’d been with us earlier, it would have been even better, but with the time we had, we squeezed as much out of it as we could.”
Interestingly, Sayf was a part of the Vitality roster in the first half of the 2025 season. He had only stepped back from competition in June after serving as the star-studded VALORANT roster’s IGL across Kickoff, Masters Bangkok, and Stage One. So, why did he leave in the first place?
The year began with promise, with Vitality securing a glorious victory at the EMEA Kickoff, but the group quickly lost their footing. Mediocre results followed in Masters Bangkok and EMEA Stage One, and cracks within the team began to show.
While no single reason for the collapse has been confirmed, the signs weren’t hard to spot. In an era where every match is broadcast live and dissected by analysts, communication problems, language barriers, and internal disagreements became increasingly evident. Reports pointed to friction within the roster, which caused unexpected departures such as trexx’s exit and the challenges of replacing key pieces mid-season.
No team can withstand the pressure of a tournament league like VCT without consistency and stability at its core. Sayf himself faced criticism from fans, with many questioning whether he had the experience to lead effectively as IGL. Once a skilled duelist main, he had also lost his fragging potential due to the role shift and the drama that followed.
Eventually, Sayf decided to take a step back and focus on his well-being, while Vitality turned to Bartosz “UNFAKE” Bernacki as their new in-game leader for Stage Two. But even then, success was elusive. The team struggled through the group stage and only just scraped into the playoffs in the lower bracket. Desperate for stability, the organization brought Sayf back—this time as the sixth man and flex player. He played just a single playoff match, and according to Derke, could have had a greater impact if given more time to reintegrate.
“It’s his experience both as an IGL and as a veteran player,” Derke said, when asked about Sayf’s impact. “Sometimes he makes key mid-round calls, or he senses the timing of a hit before it happens. He’ll say, ‘They’re going to push now,’ or suggest a quick adjustment. It’s not about taking over the calling; it’s just experience. And honestly, we needed someone like that.”
According to Vitality’s official X (formerly Twitter) post, Sayf supported the team even during his break from competition. “We asked our former IGL Sayf to join the team in Berlin for our match vs Gentle Mates (last group stage game) as a potential last-minute sub due to one of our players feeling unwell. While Sayf did not end up playing, he actively participated in game prep and review, and his contributions made it clear that his competitive drive has returned stronger than ever,” a section of the post announcing his return read.
Derke also shared his thoughts on UNFAKE: “The only issue was maybe he respected me and Less (Felipe Basso) a bit too much. Sometimes he’d overthink because he listened to us too closely, trying to make everyone happy instead of just going with his own instincts.” While UNFAKE performed well as a player, he struggled to be assertive enough to control his team—an essential trait for any VALORANT IGL.
With Team Vitality’s exit from what could have been one of the most entertaining runs of VCT 2025, Derke has shifted his focus to self-improvement and refining his weaknesses for the next season. This also marks the first time the star duelist will miss VALORANT Champions, which is a major heartbreak to gulp down. For now, the question lingers: will Derke remain with Vitality for VCT 2026, or will he soon announce free agency?
