Aurora’s MAJ3R Opens Up on XANTARES Hand Injury Ahead of BLAST Open Rotterdam Playoffs

Aurora enter the BLAST Open Rotterdam playoffs with a significant concern hanging over one of their biggest stars: Ismailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş is still playing through a hand issue that, according to in-game leader Engin “MAJ3R” Küpeli, continues to cause him pain at times. Speaking to HLTV ahead of Aurora’s quarter-final against The MongolZ, MAJ3R said the problem has been lingering for a while and explained that the packed tournament calendar has made proper recovery difficult. He added that XANTARES is currently still available and “feels okay,” but admitted the injury can affect his level when the pain flares up. 

The most important detail from MAJ3R’s comments is not panic, but caution. He did not suggest that Aurora are already preparing to bench XANTARES or bring in a stand-in. Instead, he described a team trying to manage a difficult situation event by event. MAJ3R said health would come first if the injury worsens, making it clear that Aurora would support a break if XANTARES reached the point where continuing was no longer realistic. For the moment, though, Aurora’s position is that he remains fit enough to compete, even if not always at his absolute best. 

MAJ3R also tied the issue directly to Aurora’s brutal recent schedule. He said the team have effectively been on the road for about a month, including a bootcamp in Belgrade before ESL Pro League, followed by stops in Stockholm, Copenhagen, and now Rotterdam, with another trip to Romania still ahead. In that context, the injury becomes more than an isolated medical problem: it is part of a broader strain created by back-to-back events and limited recovery time. That helps explain why Aurora are trying to balance competitiveness with caution instead of forcing a dramatic roster decision immediately. 

The timing is especially important because Aurora have been playing some of their best Counter-Strike of the year. Earlier this month, the team reached the ESL Pro League Season 23 grand final after beating Astralis, marking a breakthrough run for a squad that had not even made a semi-final in 2026 before that event. MAJ3R said at the time that a final against NAVI carried extra emotional weight because Aurora’s core had previously lost a Pro League final to the same opponent. 

That revenge, however, did not arrive. NAVI beat Aurora 3-1 in the EPL grand final, and the rematch at BLAST Open Rotterdam was even more one-sided. NAVI swept Aurora 2-0 in the group-stage seeding match, taking Anubis 13-8 and Nuke 13-10 to move directly into the semi-finals while sending Aurora into the quarter-finals. In his latest interview, MAJ3R openly admitted that some opponents, especially NAVI, remain especially difficult matchups for his team. 

Even so, Aurora’s overall form in Rotterdam has been strong enough to keep expectations high. They opened the event with a win over FaZe and then secured their playoff place by defeating FURIA 2-0, taking Dust2 16-14 and Inferno 13-6. Those results reinforced the sense that Aurora are still one of the more dangerous teams in the bracket, especially when their structure and individual level click at the same time. 

MAJ3R suggested that part of Aurora’s improvement has come from a change in his own preparation. Rather than keeping most of the game plan in his head and calling reactively, he now briefs the team more extensively before matches, walking teammates through likely calls and scenarios in advance. He said the adjustment began around ESL Pro League and has helped both the players and himself, because everyone enters the server with a clearer picture of what Aurora want to do. That tactical refinement matters here because a team dealing with an injured star needs more than raw firepower; it needs structure that can reduce the burden on individuals. 

Aurora’s next challenge is The MongolZ, a team that has repeatedly caused them problems. MAJ3R noted that Aurora had lost their last five meetings against the Mongolian side, describing them as another opponent, alongside NAVI, that his team simply struggle against. The quarter-final is set for March 27 at BLAST Open Rotterdam, a $1.1 million event running from March 18 to March 29 across Copenhagen and Rotterdam.

The matchup comes with an extra subplot because The MongolZ are themselves operating under difficult circumstances. Their coach, Erdenedalai “maaRaa” Bayanbat, is missing both the ESL Pro League playoffs and BLAST Rotterdam, though the team have said he remains involved remotely. Despite that setback, The MongolZ still reached the Rotterdam playoffs by beating Spirit 2-0, showing they remain dangerous even without their coach physically present behind them. MAJ3R acknowledged that the absence could be a factor in front of a crowd, but he also stressed that The MongolZ’s individual quality still makes them a serious threat. 

So Aurora head into the arena with two parallel storylines. On one side is momentum: a recent EPL final, wins over FaZe and FURIA, and a tactical system MAJ3R believes is helping the team reach a higher level. On the other is uncertainty around XANTARES’ condition, with Aurora hoping their star can keep competing through discomfort without pushing the issue to the point where rest becomes unavoidable. For now, the team’s stance is clear: XANTARES is still in, but his hand is a real issue, not a minor footnote, and it could remain one of the defining factors in Aurora’s playoff run.