They were superior in all aspects, losing only 11 rounds in the entire BO3, and SAW's player arrozdoce admitted that his team was thoroughly outplayed on both maps.

In a post-match interview with HLTV, Vitality's coach XTQZZZ said they had great respect for SAW and had formulated a good game plan for the match.

"We knew they would be aggressive," he said. "They make big moves on both offense and defense, a bit crazy. So we thought if we could break this momentum, it would be a win for us."

2024 is almost nine months in, and Vitality is still chasing their first title of the year. After losses in the ESL S19 and IEM Dallas finals, XTQZZZ hopes this time his team can lift the trophy. He said, "We will discuss tonight and figure out how to play tomorrow's match."

Here is the interview:

Q: You quickly defeated SAW 2-0 to advance to the finals. Are you satisfied with the team's performance today?

A: Yes, we accomplished the task of the semifinals. We have great respect for SAW; they played well and had a good game plan. We stayed calm and focused, so I am happy, but the task is not yet complete.

Q: After seeing SAW defeat FaZe, what was your mindset? What did you discuss yesterday to ensure you stayed calm and focused?

A: We just focused on our plan on how to counter them. We knew they would be aggressive. They move frequently on both offense and defense, a bit crazy. So we thought if we could break this momentum, it would be a win for us, that's it.

Q: Nuke might have been SAW's better map in this BO3, but you took control from the start and seemed very prepared. Can you tell me about your game plan on Nuke?

A: Actually, I think their offense changed a bit, so we were not ready for those two or three rounds. After that, we had a new plan, which was to slowly and steadily push forward and try to gain an advantage.

Q: Can you talk about Dust2? You lost the pistol round but then quickly took control of the match, making it look very easy.

A: Honestly, I think the force buy helped a lot. We won against them on Nuke, they then won the pistol round, and then lost to our force buy. So, I think that helped a lot in today's match. After that, we played tactically, taking it slow. Yes, I think it went very smoothly.

Q: You now face the winner between Mouz and Natus Vincere . What are your expectations? Which team would you prefer to face? You lost to MOUZ in EPL S19 and haven't faced NAVI this year. (Interview before the NAVI vs. MOUZ semifinal)

A: Honestly, I am looking forward to this match. I think it will be an exciting game. We are happy to play against NAVI because, at least for me, they are the best team in the world. And MOUZ, if we face them in the finals, it could be a real revenge for the previous EPL S19. Either way, I think it will be an exciting match.

Q: This will be your third final this year. Previously, you were runners-up in Dallas and Malta, and this will also be apEX 's third final in Cologne. Do you think the third final will bring you good luck?

A: (Laughs) Honestly, I hope so too. I think we need to have a good discussion because when you lose two finals in a row, or sometimes you feel like you were so close to winning, even in the semi-finals... we will have a good talk tonight and think about how to play in the final.

Q: If you win the match here, how much of a boost will it be for the rest of the season?

A: If we win, I think we will achieve something this year. As for the future, the RMR will take place in two or three months. So yes, we need this victory. We have been preparing for this since the break. Basically, this is our mission, and we hope we can win the trophy.

NAVI defeated MOUZ 2-0 in the semi-finals to advance to the final, where they will face Vitality for the championship.