Saadhak: “I knew I was going to learn no matter what, either winning or losing [with ENGH]” – VCT EMEA Stage 2 Interview

From leading LOUD to a VALORANT Champions victory in 2022 to making the jump to EMEA with Karmine Corp, Matias “Saadhak” Delipetro has never been one to shy away from a challenge. His first year in Europe has brought new teammates, new metas, and a whole host of unique playstyles to adapt to. Fresh off a crucial win over Team Liquid to propel KC into the  VCT EMEA Stage 2 playoffs, Saadhak sat down with Hotspawn to talk about that match, his move to EMEA, and the lessons learned so far.

Hotspawn: What was the team’s mindset heading into the game against Team Liquid, seeing that you had to beat the undefeated team in groups to make playoffs?

Saadhak: “To be honest, we just wanted to play, to have fun, and to show what we’d prepared in the past week. After the NAVI game, we changed quite a lot of stuff, which was good, to be honest. Our mindset was, okay, let’s do our best and just see if our game plans work.”

Were those changes significant?

Saadhak: “Yeah, we changed a lot. It’s not easy to change things in such a short amount of time, but I think the way the team reacted was really positive.”

In those tense overtime moments, did you manage to keep that attitude?

Saadhak: “After we threw a couple of rounds—we felt like we were in control but were losing some minor details—we took a timeout to think. I said, okay guys, let’s chill a little bit, let’s reset, and let’s go back again with our plan. It worked out really well.”

Do you think that timeout was the turning point?

Saadhak: “It was one of them. Sometimes you just need a moment to breathe and remember the basics.”

You had two overtime thrillers in the series. Does that get exhausting?

Saadhak: “Of course you get exhausted, but at the same time, this is why we practise so many hours. In these situations, if teams aren’t used to playing that late or that many rounds, we have the resilience. We practise for these situations. Even if it was a best-of-five, we’d be ready.”

So those long games are actually something you embrace?

Saadhak: “Yeah, we practice for them. It’s part of the job.”

How has your first year in EMEA been so far?

Saadhak: “It’s been fun. I found so many similarities and differences, which makes it fun. I thought it was going to be much harder because I have to call in English and a lot of other stuff, but I adapted quite well.”

Has the team environment helped that adaptation?

Saadhak: “Thanks to KC—they’ve been amazing helping me be at ease and enjoy my time here in Europe.”

In terms of playstyle, how does EMEA compare to the Americas?

Saadhak: “In Europe, you find so many different playstyles, which makes the game so entertaining. We play against Liquid, and it’s one thing. If we play BBL, it’s completely different. Play FUT—it’s different. Play Fnatic—it’s different. You’re always on the edge and always learning.”

And in NA?

Saadhak: “In NA, I felt like maybe teams tried to copy each other more in playstyle. Here, the best teams separate themselves more clearly.”

How has it been working with your coach [ENGH]?

Saadhak: “He’s so fun, and he’s really smart. He’s making me see the game in different ways I didn’t think before. He’s the kind of person that—sometimes I just sit with him, we start talking about the game, and then I go back home thinking, wow, I didn’t think about that before.

“This is also a reason I chose to come here—I knew I was going to learn no matter what, either winning or losing. He’s been teaching me a lot about the game, and it was a surprise in a good way. He’s giving me more tools as a caller, but also making me a better player individually.”

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned since joining EMEA?

Saadhak: “I would say it’s how to work on the basics. Here I kind of understood more of the importance of having a good base when you work on the basic stuff of the game.

“You know, like how to peek together, how to control an area, how to play different ways, always showing the same conditioning in a round—stuff like that. It’s more like understanding the core of the game.

“I think that’s something very important that you see with the top teams because they always have those fundamentals down right, and then everything else comes after that. So they put themselves, even if it’s a rough situation, in a position where they can get themselves out of it because they have that initial advantage.”

You moved to Europe with your wife. How has that been?

Saadhak: “It’s been fun. The weather is extreme—it’s super hot in summer, super cold in winter. Food has been a thing to adjust to as well, but the quality here is impressive. If you know how to cook, it’s amazing. Takeout is harder.”

What’s your favorite dish to cook?

Saadhak: “Right now, I’m making a lot of milanesas, a traditional Argentinian dish—breaded chicken or breaded meat with rice or mashed potatoes and a small salad.”

Have your eating habits changed?

Saadhak: “Much better. In LA, I was eating really badly—super oily stuff. Here, just eating regular food, I’ve managed to lose weight without even working out.”

How has Stage 2 felt for KC?

Saadhak: “Things were coming together, but we also needed a change. That change was needed, and it brought a breath of fresh air. Today we showed we have the potential to beat top teams—we won two out of three overtimes.”

How do you prepare for the variety of EMEA playstyles?

Saadhak: “Everything you can imagine—watching VODs, sitting with the coach, anti-stratting. You have to understand the team’s playstyle, adapt it to your own game, and be ready for their reactions.

“You cannot—for example, I remember back in the day, you’re playing Ascent and every single team plays the same Ascent. And now it has, okay, now we have your Chamber, now we have Yoru comp. So it’s much, much different stuff, you know. So you have to be always studying and being ready.”

Thoughts on the newest duelist, Waylay? She’s had a pretty bad pick rate so far, kind of like pre-buff Yoru.

Saadhak: “I’d say it’s about the kit and also the current maps. She has space, for example, on Corrode. She can take fast-paced control, but her kit could use improvement. Like now Yoru has two teleports, you know, instead of one. So you can do a bunch of stuff, you’d rather just pick him.”

Who are your biggest opponents on the way to a trophy?

Saadhak: “Every team we have in front of us. We’re taking it one step at a time, preparing for what’s next and not thinking too far ahead.”

Favorite meal to eat?

Saadhak: “My favorite thing to eat is my wife’s food, whatever she does.”

From battling a so-far undefeated in groups Team Liquid in double overtime today, beating them to get a coveted playoffs berth, to breaking down the nuances of EMEA’s diverse playstyles, Saadhak’s first season in Europe has been a crash course in adaptation. With Karmine Corp now locked in and ready for the playoff fight, his focus remains the same: keep learning, take it one step at a time, and prove they can beat anyone in the world.