donk Backs Spirit Ahead of a Possible Vitality Rematch

Danil “donk” Kryshkovets is entering the IEM Cologne Major with a clear message: Spirit believe they have a real chance against Vitality. In his HLTV interview, the 19-year-old did not frame the Rio final as a simple outclassing. From his view, Spirit had strong positions, lost control in key moments, and left the match feeling they had let it slip.

That matters because Vitality are not just another opponent. They beat Spirit 3 - 0 in the IEM Rio 2026 grand final and continued to look like one of the strongest teams in CS2. But Spirit’s form has also changed since then. After Rio, they rebuilt confidence through strong wins, then carried that momentum into PGL Astana, where donk earned MVP honors as Spirit claimed the title.

The challenge is still serious. Spirit begin their Major run from Stage 2 without both coaches behind them at the start, leaving more responsibility on magixx as in-game leader. Donk praised magixx’s charisma and intelligence, while also making it clear that Spirit’s preparation and structure remain central to their confidence.

The most important part of the interview is not trash talk. It is belief. Donk is not saying Vitality are weak. He is saying Spirit know where the Rio final went wrong - and they believe those mistakes are fixable.

If Spirit meet Vitality again in Cologne, it will not be just another rematch. It will be a test of whether Spirit’s renewed confidence can survive against the team setting the standard in CS2.