Gentle Mates relegated from the VCT EMEA following loss to GIANTX

Gentle Mates are the second team to be relegated from the VCT Partnership System following their 2-1 series loss against GIANTX in Week Four of the VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - EMEA Stage 2.

Gentle Mates came into their series against GIANTX hoping to keep their quest for the playoffs alive and defend their partnership slot in the VCT Ascension EMEA 2025. The team stood on a 0-3 record heading into Week Four, meaning they would need to win their final two series to avoid relegation.

GIANTX Clinch Playoffs on the Brink of Defeat

VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - EMEA Stage 2

Gentle Mates

1

X

2

GIANTX

Group Alpha, Best of 3 - August 7, 2025 - 3:00PM

13

Corrode

8

12

Ascent

14

4

Haven

13

Gentle Mates

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

kamyk

1.14

227

51/47/20

+4

1.09

67.1%

143.9

39%

63%

10

6

Veqaj

0.98

187

42/43/26

-1

0.98

71.6%

133.3

35%

50%

3

3

ComeBack

0.97

203

47/46/11

+1

1.02

59.4%

125.2

23%

52%

12

11

Proxh

0.85

156

36/41/26

-5

0.88

70.1%

102.6

24%

29%

2

5

Minny

0.73

165

36/42/8

-6

0.86

66.5%

110.3

37%

38%

5

8

GIANTX

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

ara

1.26

256

58/40/13

+18

1.45

75.4%

162.8

28%

55%

11

9

Flickless

1.09

202

43/48/38

-5

0.90

76.0%

122.3

28%

57%

8

6

GRUBINHO

1.06

196

43/45/32

-2

0.96

63.5%

129.3

24%

60%

6

4

westside

0.89

188

43/36/9

+7

1.19

68.3%

127.1

51%

38%

3

5

Cloud

0.69

151

32/43/12

-11

0.74

74.4%

106.1

38%

38%

5

8

For GIANTX, the playoffs felt like a strong likelihood given their 2-1 record in Group Alpha as they were vying for a better seeding in the group. Meanwhile, Gentle Mates were fighting for their VCT EMEA lives as their 0-3 record placed them on the brink of elimination.

Today’s series between both GIANTX and Gentle Mates saw a close battle between the two teams fighting for the playoffs. Gentle Mates got off to a strong start by taking map one on Corrode and looked poised to finally win their first series after a 9-3 start on Ascent. However, in true Gentle Mates fashion, their magic ran out at the finish line as GIANTX clawed their way out of that deficit to close out map two in overtime.

That momentum shift was drastic going into Haven as GIANTX clinched their spot in the playoffs while eliminating Gentle Mates in heartbreaking fashion.

A Series of Heartbreaks for Gentle Mates

It’s been a tough tenure for Gentle Mates in Tier 1 VALORANT. After qualifying for the VCT EMEA at the end of 2023, Gentle Mates were granted a two-year slot in Tier 1. Their first year in the VCT EMEA saw the newly ascended team finish at the bottom of the standings with a 3-7 record in 2024. Those misfortunes continued in 2025, where the team’s main issues stemmed from their struggles to close out matches. That ultimately led them to relegation this week after the team was mathematically eliminated in Week Four after their loss to GIANTX.

What does this mean for the VCT EMEA 2026?

Gentle Mates' relegation from the VCT EMEA Tier 1 circuit also means that both EMEA Ascension teams will be out of the league in 2026. Their spots will be taken up by both of the Grand Finalists of the VCT Ascension EMEA 2025 tournament. Additionally, their relegation from the league also grants two extra slots in the EMEA Ascension tournament, which will go to the teams with the fifth and sixth highest amounts of Circuit Points.

While both organizations will look towards 2026 to try and make it back into the Tier 1 Circuit, they will each have one more match in Week Five of the VCT EMEA Stage 2 as a Swan Song before making their exit from the league.

Stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG to watch the remainder of the VCT EMEA Stage 2 play out. The VCT EMEA Stage 2 season will end on August 31, 2025, as one team will lift the Stage 2 trophy and represent EMEA as the number one seed going into VALORANT Champions 2025 in Paris, France.