“It's like a revenge tour for us” - Jamppi after big win against Fnatic

Playoffs in VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - EMEA Stage 2 kicked off with a bang. BBL Esports and Fnatic went head-to-head in a nail-biting opener, with BBL taking the series 2-1. After the win, THESPIKE.GG sat down with BBL’s in-game leader, Elias "Jamppi" Olkkonen, to talk about their playoff prep and the team's mindset as they chase a spot to VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Valorant Champions.

Taking down Fnatic

The win against Fnatic required a lot of practice and preparation from BBL. With Fnatic already having locked in a spot at Champions, Jamppi anticipated they’d come in with fresh strats. The match started in Fnatic’s favor, but once BBL found their rhythm, the momentum shifted. A strong week of scrims and plenty of VOD reviews laid the groundwork for the comeback.

“It all started one week ago, when we knew that Fnatic was gonna be our first opponent. It was very, very good preparation from all of us. I think we were a little bit nervous as you always are playing a big game versus Fnatic.”

Revenge tour after Stage 1

VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - EMEA Stage 1 had the same start for the Turkish team. Beginning in the upper bracket, they won their first map, but couldn’t seal the deal against Team Heretics in the second and ended up in the lower bracket. Their journey then ended, and the dream of qualifying for VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Masters Toronto 2025 died.

This time around, BBL and Heretics have clashed multiple times. This gave both sides time to study each other’s playstyles and adapt.

“We know their playstyle and in my opinion it's just a mental battle. It's like a revenge tour for us. You know, we wanna get revenge on Heretics for sure.”

And BBL got their revenge. In their rematch against Heretics—played after THESPIKE.GG spoke with Jamppi—BBL shut the series down with a clean 2-0. Taking down another one of the biggest threats in playoffs puts BBL just one win away from the Grand Final and a spot at Champions Paris.

Vocal on stage

Jamppi’s IGL style is all about energy. He’s loud, vocal, and constantly hyping up the squad, especially when they’re down several rounds. That presence helps reset the team’s mentality, bringing back confidence and momentum when it matters most. According to Jamppi, it also sharpens his own individual performance. And as a bonus, it’s the perfect way to get inside the opponent’s head.

“That's my personality. I think that's my way of leading, as the captain of the team. That's my way of showing, you know, how I am.”

Magnum steps in

Another vocal player is the newly added Martin "MAGNUM" Penkov. With former BBL player Egor "chiwa" Stepanyuk sidelined due to VISA issues before Stage 1, Jamppi knew they needed someone to match that same energy on the server. By signing Magnum, BBL found the perfect player to fill chiwa’s shoes.

“I think Magnum was exactly the player that we needed. He's done his job so well and he has improved massively in this team. Props to the coaches. I think his playstyle, his personality—he's just a perfect fit for us.”

Champs in sight

Missing out on Toronto was a wake-up call for BBL. Jamppi says the team is stronger this time around and knows what needs to be done differently. By building confidence and mental resilience, Jamppi firmly believes one of the tickets to Champions Paris will be theirs. With back-to-back wins in playoffs, BBL are riding a five-match win streak and now await their next challenge in the Upper Final.

“For me the goal is the Grand Final. I'm super confident we can do it. We've been playing better every week. We just need to keep working and trust in each other.”

Honoring Jrokez

The win against Fnatic was dedicated to Jrokez, a big streamer in the BBL community, who sadly passed away last week.

“The BBL community lost a big part and person, Jrokez last week. This win was dedicated to him and his legacy. And that will always be a part of BBL.”

Make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKEGG as we continue to update you on all the latest VALORANT game and esports news.

Note: Some minor parts of the interview may have been edited for the sake of clarity and or brevity.