Vladi is Karmine Corp’s mid laner heading into LEC 2025. After the honor of performing in front of a home crowd at KCX4 last month, Vladi was once again offered the chance to play for a Paris audience at the 2024 Red Bull League of Its Own. While, he’s still getting used to representing one of the most greatly followed organizations in the league, Esports.net managed to nab an interview and get his thoughts on all things LEC.
Despite Red Bull League of its Own being a more ‘for fun’ event, is it still nice to get a win against G2?
Vladi: Yeah, I think both teams were tryharding honestly. I think both teams were giving their best because, even though it’s a fun event, it’s still a way of practise and playing on stage which will happen in the LEC soon. So yeah, it was a good feeling to beat the best team in the LEC and yeah, we will keep going like this.
Lee Jones: Was Yike extra motivated for this one?
Vladi: Yeah, Yike really wanted to win because obviously it’s his ex-team and, yeah, it’s always a nice feeling to beat your previous team. The moment we won, we were hitting the nexus, he was really happy.
How has the prep for 2025 been going so far?
We’ve been together for like 3 weeks. We did a couple of scrims, obviously not as many as other teams I think because we have a lot of events. But yeah, the scrims are going very well. The team is in a good mood, we are doing a lot of activities together and I think it’s gonna go very well.
Image credit: Riot Games
Lee Jones: Many players only get their weekly games in the LEC Studio.
Are you able to appreciate how unique it is to play for a team that has these kinds of events, especially so early in your career?
Vladi: Yeah, obviously. I’m 19, I’m the youngest mid laner in the league. I think for this org as well with so many passionate fans — and there are also fans that love every player — it’s a really nice feeling to see and have. And also I’m receiving so much support on social media as well and I’m very thankful to play for the team.
Lee Jones: Despite having played for just 2 years in the LEC, Yike’s already hugely experienced after winning seven titles and going to four international events.
Does it feel like he’s a veteran joining the team?
Vladi: The way I see it is if play for in the LEC for two years, I don’t think you should be considered a rookie or a player that doesn’t really know much. I think two years is enough to grow as a player for the LEC. And also obviously, yeah, Yike played in G2, he went to a lot of internationals, played a lot of games there, he played so many games on stage. So I think it helped him a lot and I think he has some kind of leadership in our team.
Lee Jones: Caliste is being promoted from KC’s academy roster to the LEC team a few months after the same happened for you.
Have you felt you’ve needed to take him under your wing to guide him through that process?
Vladi: Not really. I think this guy is just gifted. When I was playing an academy with him I already knew he was a really good AD carry, if not one of the best. And yeah, I think he’s proving it right now, and he did it in the LFL with me as well where we won it. So yeah, I think this guy has a lot of future.
What are the aims for 2025?
I think this team has potential to obviously win the LEC, in all of the splits.
And I think we can also do very well internationally because I think Caliste is a really good player. I think Targamas is very underrated; he’s getting a lot of hate outside on social media.
Does the Fearless drafting in Winter change preparation at all? Or is it something not to prep for too specifically since it only impacts the first split?
Vladi: For me, I don’t think it’s it matters a lot as long as the team has a big champion pool. Overall we just see it as a normal change. We’re just trying to extend our champ pool and I think it won’t be a problem for us. It will be fun for the viewers.
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