Astralis Talent will be represented in the official 7-man roster for the first time during IEM Katowice 2021.
The 19-year old talent Mads 'vester' Vestergaard has been picked out to join the roster, although it is not likely he will be playing any maps during the tournament, says Astralis Director of Sports, Kasper Hvidt:
- We want to signal that Astralis Talent is a part of the organization. It's about letting them see and feel some of the things that make Astralis what it is. We are not expecting 'vester' to actually play during the tournament and it would be a bit too ambitious to assume he can already play against the best teams in the world. Should we end up in a situation where two players are out, we will not hesitate to include him on the server though. Otherwise, he wouldn't be a part of the squad.
It's about letting them see and feel some of the things that make Astralis what is is. We are not expecting 'vester' to actually play during the tournament and it would be a bit too ambitious to assume he can already play against the best teams in the world - Kasper Hvidt, Director of Sports, Astralis
- It should be seen as a pat on the back of the players of Astralis Talent. They've made the launch of the talent development initiative something truly special. 'vester' is a player who shares a lot of the same values as we do in Astralis. He's also just a really great guy, always ready to help out his team and he works hard to improve.
- Realistically, there is still some way to go before we see players from Astralis Talent as an active part of the main team rosters, but ultimately, Astralis Talent will also function as a recruiting platform for the elite teams. Some players will likely also go to other organizations in the future, but no matter where they play, it's our ambition that they will bring the culture of Astralis with them.
Astralis' first match is on Thursday, February 18 at 15:30 CET. The opponent will be determined through a play-in format ending on Wednesday, February 17.
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