Gentle Mates qualify for Masters Santiago after a demanding VCT EMEA run

Gentle Mates (M8) secured a spot at VALORANT Masters Santiago after a long week of matches in the VCT 2026 EMEA Kickoff. The team fell to BBL Esports in a five-map Upper Final on February 14 but recovered the next day by defeating Fnatic in the Middle Final to claim EMEA’s second seed. The turnaround came with little downtime between series and leaned heavily on the consistency of Martin “marteen” Pátek, whose impact shaped both results.

Upper Final vs. BBL Esports

The series against BBL went the full five maps and highlighted both the strengths and gaps in M8’s game plan. M8 won the pistol rounds 6–3 across the series, setting up good early halves, but BBL matched them in mid-round calling and late-round conversions. On Ascent, M8 took a 13–11 win, with marteen leading the lobby with 23 kills. Haven was even at the break and went to overtime, where BBL edged ahead with tighter retakes.

M8 responded on Split with a clean 13–4, powered by stable utility from Minny on Viper and key clutches from bipo and starxo. The decider on Corrode flipped back to BBL. Their defender lovers rock held firm at 10/3 on defense, and M8’s attempts to control space with the Operator—primarily by marteen and bipo—did not land often enough to swing momentum. BBL closed the series 3–2, took EMEA’s top seed, and lifted the Kickoff trophy.

marteen’s record-setting week

Across both the BBL and Fnatic series, marteen set new marks for individual output at the VCT level. He posted 106 kills in the loss to BBL, including 62 across the first two maps. A day later against Fnatic, he raised the bar again with 126 kills over five maps, surpassing the previous all-time VCT record of 124. Much of this work came on Yoru, where he found opening picks, chained multikills, and created space for fast site hits. The performance prompted comparisons from fans to other high-impact duelists who broke through at Tier 1, and it underscored his quick rise after joining M8 following time with Karmine Corp.

Middle Final vs. Fnatic and the qualification match

The Middle Final against Fnatic determined EMEA’s second seed to Masters Santiago. Coming off the five-map loss to BBL, M8 had limited rest but showed clear preparation. marteen top-fragged in four of the five maps and was especially dominant on Split, where M8 controlled both the pace and the late rounds. Fnatic kept several halves close, yet M8 converted key swings with better entry trades and decisive mid-round calls. When the series ended, M8 had the win they needed and a ticket to Chile.

How M8 reached this point

M8’s Kickoff run started in the upper bracket with wins over FUT Esports, GIANTX, and NAVI. That stretch set up the Upper Final against BBL. The defeat moved M8 into the mid-bracket, where they faced Fnatic for a second chance. Their consistency on maps like Split and Ascent, along with improved post-plant setups, carried them through. The region’s allocation from Kickoff is three slots: BBL locked the first, M8 claimed the second, and the third was set to be decided between Team Liquid and Fnatic on February 15.

This qualification marks M8’s first international appearance since their previous relegation. The organization returned to the EMEA league structure by taking the place of KOI, reshaping the roster and building toward a stable core. The Kickoff run suggests those changes have settled into a workable system with clear roles.

Key performers and series notes

Against BBL, lovers rock matched the series pace with 98 kills and helped close the decider on Corrode with a strong defensive half. For M8, the difference-makers beyond marteen included Minny’s site control on Split and timely clutches from bipo and starxo. Despite M8’s pistol round edge versus BBL, some mid halves slipped away when early picks did not convert into plants or when retakes stalled. The Fnatic series showed improvement in that area: M8 stabilized late rounds, denied flanks more reliably, and avoided overusing the Operator on defense.

What awaits at Masters Santiago

Masters Santiago runs from February 28 to March 15 in Chile. The event brings together top teams from each region, and M8 enters the Swiss Stage in a field that includes Xi Lai Gaming, EDward Gaming, and T1. BBL will prepare as EMEA’s top seed. For M8, maintaining the discipline shown against Fnatic will be important. Their success has depended on fast entries from marteen, supportive utility layers that open space, and clutch conversions that close halves without giving up eco rounds.

With the record-breaking performances now behind them, M8’s focus shifts to adapting their playbook for international opposition. Opponents will study marteen’s Yoru paths, Operator positions, and frequent mid-round teleports. Continued flexibility—swapping defensive setups, varying early-round utility, and balancing Operator usage—will be central to turning their regional momentum into wins on the Masters stage.