New jersey, new colors, but the same Saadhak, determined to bring glory to his country and lift a trophy with KRÜ Esports in the 2026 season.
Matias “Saadhak” Delipetro joined KRÜ Esports in the 2025 off-season, marking his return to both the region and an Argentinian organization. After a bizarre start to the year that left the entire squad unable to compete in the Kickoff stage, the in-game leader is confident that their practice and boot camp have helped them rebuild confidence ahead of Stage 1.
In an interview with esports.gg, Saadhak reflected on the process of helping the team come back stronger after the visa issues. He also touched on the evolving meta, the doubts surrounding the viability of double duelist composition, his return to the region, and his reunion with Less nearly two years after their time on LOUD.
KRÜ visa problems
The beginning of 2026 was anything but ordinary, as KRÜ Esports’ main squad was unable to compete due to visa issues. They were forced to play with a substitute roster during the VCT Americas Kickoff, which was very stressful for both players and the staff.
“It was very difficult for us. Imagine that your dream is to go and play, and that is taken away from you because of something you can’t control, not because you didn’t play well,” Saadhak stated. “We didn’t have a chance. It caused a lot of frustration, sadness, and discouragement.” The team arrived in Los Angeles on March 12.
“Believe it or not, we’re starting with one foot behind. Teams already have points. They had their first experience, so they know what they need to fix, and we don’t,” Saddhak added. “This will be our first tournament, so we’re taking it step by step, going slowly.”
For the in-game leader, the situation felt bizarre, and not playing was no advantage at all. He believes tournaments reveal a lot about a team, forcing players to handle real pressure. “I’ve played with players who struggled in practice, but on stage, they became completely different people. You need the stage experience,” he stated.
The team’s opening stretch includes matchups against Sentinels, NRG, FURIA, 100 Thieves, and Evil Geniuses. “Sentinels have made roster changes, the meta has shifted, FURIA won VCT Kickoff, and NRG are the world champions, so there’s no easy path ahead. We’re at a big disadvantage, but if we manage to win through all of this, the story will be even more beautiful,” Saadhak added.
Is the double duelist composition still alive? KRÜ Saadhak says yes!
For KRÜ Saadhak, while some teams will be readjusting to these nerfs to both Yoru and Waylay, he believes the double duelist composition will still be viable. Since Sentinels didn’t have any updates and Skye was buffed, the meta will still be very aggressive.
“I think it won’t be so unfair because of Yoru. He was an agent who supplied a lot of characters, and now he might not even be a choice,” Saadhak explained. “You’ll still need flashes, so maybe we will be seeing more Skye. I think it depends on the teams and what the players can play.”
At the same time, the in-game leader believes the nerfs to Waylay were a positive step, improving the game’s overall quality of life. However, he expects Neon will still need adjustments in the near future. “Riot is on the right track, and I think they don’t want to make too many changes all at once.”
Leading a new squad and reuniting with Less
Felipe “Less” Basso was one of the stars in the 2022 LOUD “superteam.” In 2024, both players left the Brazilian organization and joined French teams. While Saadhak joined Karmine Corp, Less went to Team Vitality. A year later, both reunited in KRÜ Esports.
“He’s evolved a lot. It’s been really cool to play alongside him this year,” the IGL said with a laugh. “After running tryouts with him again, I thought, ‘Wow, he’s really good.’”
At the same time, Saadhak praised mwzera as “an active voice in the team,” while also highlighting the impact of the younger players. “Dantedeu5 and silentzz bring that youthful energy. They make you laugh your ass off and lift the whole team. This is a really great team to be a part of.” At the same time, the young players make him feel old. “I look at them and start to think about how I’m getting old,” Saadhak laughed.
KRÜ Saadhak wants to bring glory to Latin America
The air in Los Angeles feels different from Europe, and for KRÜ Saadhak, returning to the region brings a unique, almost nostalgic feeling. “I’m coming back to the place where I won, where I conquered many things in my career,” the in-game leader said. “Today is Media Day, and I’m seeing so many familiar faces, catching up with people I haven’t spoken to in over a year. It’s beautiful to be back and see this place again.”
Saadhak began his career with a small Argentinian team, Nocturns Gaming. “After that, I never played for another Argentine team again,” he commented. “I’m coming back to represent my country, my region, because I want to win for Latin America.”
He went on to play for Estral Esports, Team Vikings, LOUD, and Karmine Corp. “This is something I thought about a lot during my time with LOUD. I won as an Argentinian on a Brazilian team, but I want to win as an Argentinian on an Argentinian team. Not because I’m better than anyone else, but because I want to represent who I am.”
Saadhack returns to the VCT Americas stage on April 10 to play against Sentinels. You can watch all the matches on the VCT Americas official Twitch and YouTube channels.