Paper Rex and Gentle Mates clinch playoff spots at Masters Santiago

Day 3 of VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Masters Santiago 2026 delivered two high-stakes matchups as four teams battled for the first playoff spots. The 2025 Champions, NRG, faced off against the 2025 Masters Toronto winners, Paper Rex, while Gentle Mates clashed with Team Liquid in an EMEA derby. By the end of the day, Paper Rex and Gentle Mates emerged victorious, securing their well deserved spots in the next stage of the tournament.

Paper Rex Dismantles NRG in a Grueling Series

Despite a redraw fiasco the previous day that forced a sudden schedule change, Paper Rex remained entirely unfazed. The Pacific powerhouse brought their signature chaotic energy to dismantle the reigning Champions, NRG, cementing their status as tournament favorites.

The series began on PRX’s map pick of Split. It was a slugfest from the first pistol round, but PRX managed to claim a 13-10 victory, fighting tooth and nail against a stubborn NRG defense. NRG bounced back on their pick, Pearl, halting PRX’s momentum to tie the series with a 13-10 win of their own, though PRX’s relentless pressure made it anything but easy.

The decider map, Haven, saw the tension peak. Paper Rex unleashed a blistering attack half, securing a massive six-round streak to lead 8-4 at the switch. NRG fought valiantly to claw their way back, but PRX reached series point by round 19. Jason "f0rsakeN" Susanto closed out the map in spectacular fashion with an ace, sealing a 13-11 victory and a 2-1 series win.

Throughout the series, PRX’s newest addition, Jiggs Adrian "invy" Reyes, was a standout performer. He proved his worth as a constant thorn in NRG’s side, dropping 20 kills on Split, topping the leaderboard with 21 on Pearl, and securing 19 crucial frags on Haven.

Gentle Mates Dominate Team Liquid in EMEA Derby

The second matchup of the day was less competitive but still a thriller, as Gentle Mates lived up to their title of EMEA’s second seed by thrashing the third seed, Team Liquid, in a 2-0 sweep.

The action started on Gentle Mates’ map pick, Pearl. M8 had a slow start as Liquid threatened to run away with the map, but M8 managed to pull it back to a 6-6 tie at the half. The second half was a fairly one-sided affair; M8's attack was simply too strong. Although Liquid held on as long as they could, Gentle Mates closed out the map 13-11.

Moving to Liquid’s pick, Bind, the series became a blowout. Gentle Mates started strong, pushing an eight-round win streak right off the bat. Liquid looked completely outgunned and outplayed on their own map, ending the half down 10-2. The second half brought no relief; Liquid only salvaged the pistol round before Gentle Mates dominantly closed the map 13-3.

Gentle Mates' Martin "marteen" Pátek has been on everyone's minds the last few weeks, and with good reason. He delivered an incredible fragging performance, dropping a total of 48 kills across the two maps. He secured 30 kills on Pearl alone and added 18 more on Bind; an impressive feat, given the second map lasted only 16 rounds.

What’s Next?

With these victories, Paper Rex and Gentle Mates have punched their tickets to the playoffs and gotten some well-earned resting time. Meanwhile, NRG and Team Liquid find themselves on the brink of elimination. They await the winners of the G2 Esports vs. XLG Esports and EDward Gaming vs. T1 matchups, with the clock ticking for them to find their footing and keep their tournament hopes alive.

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Featured Image Source: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games