Official Announcement: Liquid Relieves cadiaN from Active Roster

cadiaN has been officially released by Liquid and removed from the starting lineup, with the team “exploring potential transfers.”

According to HLTV reports, Liquid had been considering cadiaN’s future as early as May, just before IEM Dallas, and a decision on his departure was made the day before the event.

In addition, Liquid is in talks with FURIA regarding the transfer of skullz. Both parties are reportedly keen to reach an agreement, indicating a positive negotiation.

cadiaN joined Liquid in December 2023 as part of their expansion efforts, forming an exciting roster that included seasoned players like NAF, YEKINDAR, returning superstar Twistzz, and young Brazilian prospect skullz (said to have a high price tag), all under the guidance of coach zews.

Initially, this looked like a promising lineup with potential for immediate success, needing only time to gel into a strong contender. However, the team failed to live up to expectations, struggling even in North American matches.

Their first setback came in failing to secure a Major main event spot through RMR, a disappointing outcome early on, but understandable given the tough competition and strong teams like FURIA and COL.

Subsequent poor results saw them miss out on IEM Chengdu through the North American qualifiers, and they performed poorly in the BLAST Spring Relegation. Following their elimination, they were invited to IEM Chengdu, advancing to the tournament’s playoffs in both Chengdu and EPL S19, but insiders reported a less than optimistic team atmosphere.

The group stage loss at IEM Dallas against 9z and G2 seemed like a harbinger of things to come, and the news of cadiaN’s departure came as a surprise to many.

Analysts and fans criticized the performances of YEKINDAR and skullz, with the former falling short of previous superstar standards and the latter struggling to fit seamlessly into the Liquid style, particularly in their offensive play.

Ultimately, it became clear that the different playing styles were too incompatible, leading Liquid to make the first move by demoting their in-game leader, cadiaN, with skullz seemingly on his way out as well.

Coach zews expressed his admiration for cadiaN’s competitive spirit, stating, “It’s undeniable that cadiaN has a big heart for the game and a hunger for victory. I wish you all the best and will be cheering you on.” However, the identity of replacements remains uncertain.

The current Liquid lineup stands as follows:

• Keith Markovic | NAF
• Mareks Gaļinskis | YEKINDAR
• Felipe Medeiros | skullz
• Russel Van Dulken | Twistzz
• Wilton Prado | zews (Coach)
• Casper Møller | cadiaN (Relieved)