TL Kicks on the rise of Challengers teams: “I didn't expect Tier 2 teams to go this far”
Kimmie "Kicks" Laasner spoke to THESPIKE after Team Liquid’s VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - EMEA Stage 2 loss against FUT Esports to discuss went wrong in the series, their struggles against aggressive teams, his role in the team, and much more.
The loss against FUT
THESPIKE: What are your first thoughts on the series?
Kicks: "We knew Haven was probably going to be their pick since it is their best map, and we expected them to choose it. I think we started the game well, but even though we were winning rounds, it did not feel like we were playing with confidence.
We never had the feeling that we were 8-0 up and completely smashing them. We did not have the mindset that the map was ours. As soon as things started going downhill, we felt like we were the ones under pressure, even though we were still several rounds ahead and had decent ideas about what they were going to do.
Once something unexpected happened, we fell into a bad mindset. We were not ready for them to fight back, and we let them take control without really showing what we wanted to do.
We ended the first half of Sunset 6-6, but we carried the same bad feeling from the previous map into it. Losing an 8-0 lead is not a good feeling, and we were not able to overcome it immediately. When they started their defense, some of the things they did catch us off guard.
At that point, we were trying to get back into the game, and it got closer toward the end. We had some good teamplay moments, but we were already so many rounds behind that one more mistake could end the game."
_1742751387062.png&w=64&q=75 "VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - EMEA Stage 2")
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Struggling against aggressive teams
THESPIKE: You mentioned feeling pressure despite having a big lead. From the outside, though, it did not feel like you were struggling with confidence at the start.
At some point, however, you started losing confidence. You previously said that the first time you really felt pressure in a match was against Karmine Corp, another very aggressive team. FUT also became more aggressive once they started winning rounds.
Do you think your team struggles against aggressive teams that play fast?
Kicks: "It could be a factor, but it is also very situational. FUT and KC can both be categorized as aggressive teams, but their playstyles are very different.
Against KC, it is more about them creating a lot of pressure and making it difficult to know what their next move will be. Against FUT, even if you have a solid idea of what they are going to do, their micro plays and set plays are so strong. They have players who will just commit no matter what, and they are not afraid at all.
So they are completely different from KC. Maybe aggressive teams are harder for us to play against because we are also an aggressive team. We might not be as comfortable against that style as we are against teams in our group that play more slowly, like Fnatic or GIANTX.
But I would not say we struggle against it too much in practice. I think it is more about having confidence in our own game. Like I said on Haven, once we let them do whatever they want, it becomes really hard to get back into the game."
Playing without a coach
THESPIKE: FUT played without their coach backing them up today after he received a suspension. As a player, how much does not having your coach there affect the team? Is it manageable?
Kicks: "I think it depends on the coach and the team. In our team, for example, I do think it would have an effect. At the same time, we have Ayaz "nAts" Akhmetshin, who is such an experienced player and such a good leader that he could fill that gap.
He already has a lot of responsibility when it comes to leading the team and making sure everyone is doing the right thing. So I think it depends on the team. I have had experiences where our coach was not there for a match or could not help us for some reason, and it definitely affected us. It is just hard to judge from the outside."
nAts and his new responsibilities
THESPIKE: Speaking of nAts, he recently went through a major change in his personal life. I spoke to him about it, but I wanted to hear from one of his teammates too. Has he changed since then, or is he still exactly the same?
Kicks:
I think he is the same person. He is always the same. He has this baseline that he reaches every day, and he never drops below it, I would say.
Kicks’ role in the team
THESPIKE: In a previous interview, your coach Ivo "Lohan" Alibno said you are the kind of player who puts the team above everything else. You put the team first and then focus on yourself.
You are also the kind of player people enjoy having around in scrims. You keep the mood positive, and that is not always common among young players, who can sometimes focus heavily on their own performance and try to prove themselves.
Do you think that team-first mentality comes from your character and personality?
Kicks: "Yeah, it definitely comes from my character and my personality outside the game. I am generally a happy person, and I would say I am quite optimistic about most things."
I am not someone who tilts in a team. Even if I get really frustrated, I will not shut down. I will still try to keep my performance at a certain level. Obviously, there will be games where I do not feel confident in myself or I am having a bad day, but I will never completely shut down in a way that negatively affects the team.
"When it comes to putting the team ahead of myself, that is partly because of my personality, but also because of the roles I have been most comfortable playing. For most of my career, I played Initiator, specifically flash Initiator.
That role can be individualistic at times, but the way I was taught to play it on certain teams was more as a support player. That is also what I am good at: having a solid baseline, communicating well, and keeping an eye on my teammates so I can support them.
It has been a bit of a struggle for me lately because I am playing smokes due to the meta. Flash Initiators have unfortunately been pushed out of the game, and Skye is probably the only one you can still play.
Smokes is not always a role where you can simply focus on supporting the team. You also need to have your own game, and that has been a stylistic change for me.
You could see the difference in this game. On defense, I was able to play my own game. During the last few rounds on Sunset, I felt like I had a good read on what I could do for myself and how I could play around my side, even if I only had one teammate with me.
If it is a 5v2 on a site, I need to make something happen. I felt like I had the answers today, but there are other times when I do not. It is a different role, and I am still adjusting. Sometimes it feels like a switch in my brain turns on and I can do it, then the next day I struggle with it again."
The gap between Tier 1 and Tier 2
THESPIKE: You had the chance to go directly to the playoffs after finishing at the top of your group, while the play-ins have been chaotic. Tier 2 teams have entered the playoffs and defeated several Tier 1 rosters, including Enterprise Esports beating Team Vitality today. You spent many years in Tier 2. Has the gap always been this small, or has it narrowed in recent years?
Kicks:
I think the gap was bigger before, and it could still be bigger. Personally, I did not expect Tier 2 teams to go this far. I could see Enterprise winning their games, so I was not surprised by them. But in general, I was really surprised by how well the Tier 2 teams performed. I think it comes down to the level of EMEA as a region this year.
"In other regions, VCT teams might struggle against Tier 2 teams in certain games, but the mid to higher level teams are usually still able to come out on top because they have more experience and, at times, better individual skill. Some Tier 2 players may have better individual mechanics, but the structure is usually there in Tier 1.
From my experience, Tier 1 teams also put more time into the game. Young players in Tier 2 might still have school, jobs, or other responsibilities that Tier 1 players do not have to worry about."
So I think it is a combination of EMEA being weaker this year overall and the fact that we have some very strong Tier 2 teams.
After this loss, Team Liquid will have to fight their way through the lower bracket as they will face Eintracht Frankfurt on August 22 at 16:00 CET. Kicks didn't expect Tier 2 teams to be this strong, and finally TL will have the chance to feel the underdogs' real hunger.
For more VCT interviews, stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG..
Featured image source: Riot Games & THESPIKE
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