Vitality Prioritize Rest Before CS2 Major as flameZ Targets Fort Worth and Atlanta Titles

Vitality Prioritize Rest Before CS2 Major as flameZ Targets Fort Worth and Atlanta Titles

Vitality Balance Trophy Ambitions With Rest Ahead of CS2 Major

Team Vitality are still in contention for titles at BLAST Rivals Fort Worth and IEM Atlanta 2026, but according to Shahar Shushan, the team is now prioritizing recovery ahead of the upcoming CS2 Major in Cologne.

Following a narrow 2-1 victory over FUT at BLAST Rivals, flameZ made it clear that while trophies remain a goal, the team’s schedule has forced a shift in priorities:

“We haven’t given up on the last two trophies, but I think there is a priority on resting and saving energy.”

Tough Win Exposes Cracks Despite Victory

Vitality’s series against FUT was far from dominant. Despite facing a weakened opponent, the world No.1 squad dropped Dust2—ending a long-standing win streak—and nearly lost control of Nuke.

flameZ openly criticized the team’s performance:

“There’s frustration because we lost to ourselves… we didn’t lose to them.”

This sentiment was echoed by coach Rémy Quoniam, who described the match as “really bad,” highlighting poor discipline and overly individual play.

Grand Slam Victory Changes Vitality’s Priorities

The shift in mindset comes after Vitality’s historic win at IEM Rio 2026, where they secured their second ESL Grand Slam title—becoming the first team in Counter-Strike history to achieve this milestone.

Star player Mathieu Herbaut previously emphasized that the team’s focus is already moving forward:

“We won four trophies already this year… the next step is Cologne.”

With a packed tournament schedule including BLAST Open, IEM Rio, BLAST Rivals, and IEM Atlanta, fatigue is becoming a real factor—even for a dominant roster.

BLAST Rivals 2026: Vitality Still in the Fight

At BLAST Rivals Fort Worth, Vitality remain strong contenders in a stacked group featuring top-tier teams. One more win could secure them a direct playoff spot, but performance levels suggest the team is no longer operating at peak consistency.

Still, flameZ believes in the squad’s resilience:

“Even when we play sloppy, we can still win games.”

Looking Ahead: Cologne Major Is the Main Goal

While Vitality are not abandoning their pursuit of additional trophies in Fort Worth and Atlanta, the bigger objective is clear: peak form for the CS2 Major Cologne 2026.

Their recent dominance proves they can win under pressure—but managing burnout may now be just as important as firepower.