"There's a lot to prove because we won EMEA" - keiko on wanting revenge against DRX

Team Liquid survived a hard fought victory against reigning World Champions EDward Gaming and staved off a first-round elimination from VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Valorant Champions. Following an intense 15-13 overtime victory on Bind, Georgio "Keiko" Sanassy talked about his individual growth this year, emotions coming into Champions, and praised his in-game leader Ayaz "nAts" Akhmetshin in a post-match interview with Adrian from THESPIKE.GG.

THESPIKE: Can you please talk us through your emotions after that exhilirating map?

Keiko: Just super relieved that we won that game. It wasn't my best game to be honest, but I'm glad that we won.

THESPIKE: It was a shaky map one where they came out absolute swinging. What was the talk between map one and map two like?

Keiko: Just to play our own game really, and not how they want to play against us. I think that we were playing super passive on that map which really needed fixing.

VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Valorant Champions

Team Liquid

2

X

1

EDward Gaming

Group C - Elimination Match, Best of 3 - September 19, 2025 - 1:00PM

3

Sunset

13

13

Abyss

6

15

Bind

13

Team Liquid

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

nAts

1.25

249

60/37/9

+23

1.62

76.6%

160.0

23%

60%

6

4

paTiTek

1.00

179

38/43/29

-5

0.88

75.4%

113.7

24%

40%

2

3

kamo

0.90

196

45/45/10

0

1.00

68.6%

133.9

34%

42%

11

15

trexx

0.84

165

36/43/19

-7

0.84

72.7%

117.4

20%

57%

4

3

Keiko

0.72

161

33/45/11

-12

0.73

66.5%

110.1

25%

53%

8

7

EDward Gaming

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

ZmjjKK

1.10

231

51/47/9

+4

1.09

55.1%

133.9

18%

48%

13

14

Smoggy

1.03

195

42/47/27

-5

0.89

79.4%

128.4

19%

64%

9

5

Jieni7

1.00

208

43/46/17

-3

0.93

64.9%

125.8

29%

60%

6

4

nobody

0.86

168

39/37/9

+2

1.05

65.8%

110.9

28%

17%

1

5

CHICHOO

0.76

145

35/37/14

-2

0.95

70.0%

101.8

18%

50%

3

3

THESPIKE: In the opening teaser today you mentioned that it was a really emotional tournament. Do you mind expanding a bit more on that?

Keiko: I just think there's a lot to prove because we won EMEA, and I think that fact that we lost to DRX was a bit sad for us. There were high expectations for us that we didn't meet in that game.

THESPIKE: You're the best aimer in the world statistically, headshot percentage wise: it's been a huge reset from last year to this year. How's that process been for you and how have you grown as a player?

Keiko: Yeah, there's been a lot of self-improvement from last year to this year, and I'm overall feeling a little more comfortable [than] last year. It's now my second year in Tier 1 and I’m feeling good about it all. I don't know about the best player in the world, but I think I'm just playing how I want to play last year.

THESPIKE: One of the key differences from last year to this year is that you now have nAts as your IGL. Coming into this tournament he's been in the top three, top two, even top one on people's top ten lists. As his teammate, what do you think about these claims?

Keiko: I think he isn’t interested about all of that. He’s just very focused on his gameplay and how the team is showing up. He's super disciplined with his work outside of the game so I think that kind of leads to him being really good overall.

THESPIKE: A really big difference between last year and this year is that you've been to every international. That's a big change, being away from home for much longer. What's the one thing you miss most about home?

Keiko: Just being with family... and my mum's cooking. She's a chef and makes really good Thai food.

THESPIKE: Going into your next match against DRX, you mentioned that it was quite an emotional loss. How are you approaching this next match?

Keiko: I think we’ll be less surprised with their new, different playstyle like using Waylay, and we’ll be wanting revenge going into the match.

THESPIKE: Thank you so much for the interview, and good luck for your next match.

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