jL to stand in for Liquid at Roman Imperium Cup VI

jL to stand in for Liquid at Roman Imperium Cup VI

Team Liquid will field a temporary lineup change for the upcoming Roman Imperium Cup VI, with Lithuanian rifler Justinas “jL” Lekavičius stepping in as a stand-in for the squad during the Portuguese LAN event. The move comes as Liquid continues its push to secure valuable ranking points in the race toward Major qualification. 

According to reports, jL will replace Guy “NertZ” Iluz for the tournament after the Israeli player encountered travel issues that prevent him from attending the event in Portugal. NertZ is expected to rejoin the team shortly afterward and return to the lineup in time for BLAST Open Rotterdam, where Liquid are scheduled to face Spirit in their opening match. 

Roman Imperium Cup VI will take place from March 12 to 15 at the SAW Esports Arena in Vila Nova de Gaia. The tournament features around twenty teams and offers a modest prize pool, but more importantly provides Valve Regional Standings (VRS) points that are crucial for teams aiming to qualify for upcoming top-tier events and the next Major cycle. 

A key opportunity for Liquid

Liquid’s decision to attend the event reflects the team’s current situation in the global ranking race. The roster recently exited ESL Pro League Season 23 in Stage 1 with a 2-3 record, a result that significantly hurt their chances of reaching the next Major through the VRS system. To compensate, the organization registered for additional LAN tournaments, including Roman Imperium Cup VI and DraculaN Season 6, hoping to accumulate enough points to remain competitive in the qualification race. 

Analysts have suggested that participating in these events could substantially improve Liquid’s chances of reaching the Major. One projection cited by HLTV indicated that playing both tournaments could raise the team’s qualification probability from roughly 13% to around 35%. 

At Roman Imperium Cup VI, Liquid will compete in a round-robin group stage where they are scheduled to face teams such as BESTIA, Gaimin Gladiators, Famalicão, and OlyBet in best-of-one matches. The top two teams from each group will advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket. 

jL returns to competition

For jL, the event marks a rare competitive appearance following a break from professional play. The 26-year-old Lithuanian player, who previously competed for Natus Vincere, has been inactive since mid-2025 after stepping away from competition to focus on his well-being. During this period he also appeared in broadcast roles, including analyst work at IEM Krakow earlier in the season. 

Despite the break, jL remains one of the most accomplished players in recent Counter-Strike history. He was part of the Natus Vincere lineup that won the PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen in 2024 and earned the tournament’s MVP award, one of the most prestigious achievements in the scene. 

His temporary addition to Liquid also reunites him with Viktor “flashie” Tamás Bea, Liquid’s head coach, who previously worked with the Lithuanian player during his time as an analyst in Natus Vincere’s support staff. jL acknowledged this connection publicly, saying he intends to do his best to help the team collect the ranking points it currently needs. 

Liquid’s expected lineup

For the Portuguese LAN, Liquid are expected to field the following roster:

• Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski

• Roland “ultimate” Tomkowiak

• Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek

• Justinas “jL” Lekavičius (stand-in)

• Guy “NertZ” Iluz (temporarily replaced for the event)

• Viktor “flashie” Tamás Bea (coach)

The tournament itself may not carry the prestige of top-tier international events, but for teams like Liquid the stakes are still significant. With Major qualification increasingly determined by the Valve ranking system, every LAN appearance and every match win can influence a team’s standing.

If Liquid can make a deep run in Portugal, the points earned could help stabilize their position in the VRS rankings and keep their Major ambitions alive. Meanwhile, the event also gives fans a rare chance to see jL back on the server, even if only temporarily, after months away from competitive play.