Team Liquid had an impressive run at The International 11. They went all the way from a wildcard in the LCQ to a powerhouse in the main event that wound up finishing third overall.
But, the competitive Dota 2 scene is notoriously ruthless. It’s common for players and organizations to think that if a team finishes anywhere but first, they may as well be last, and thus a roster shuffle ensues.
Fans feared that might be the case with Liquid’s roster. But their coach Blitz confirmed the only one being replaced is Lasse “MATUMBAMAN” Urpalainen, who retired.
“Now the team hunt begins,” he said to Austin “Cap” Walsh during an episode of Cap Casts. “Now we find a replacement for Matu, which is obviously fucking impossible. So, we’ll see what happens.”
Blitz said they’re not looking for a carry specifically, either. The plan is to keep Michael “miCKe” Vu in the mid-lane given his performances at TI11, but it’s tentative at the moment.
That means there’s a chance the hottest free agent in the scene, back-to-back TI winner Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen, could be a potential candidate—especially considering he’s open to moving back to Europe. And Blitz said something that may or may not have alluded to that.
“Yeah, it’s going to be a TOP season,” he said at the end of the podcast. “Just cut it there!”
Some fans think it’s a deadset hint. But, others are a little more skeptical about it—especially because earlier in the podcast, Blitz said he reached out to several Dota 2 candidates regarding free agency. Make of it what you will.
