Astralis CS2 Acquires cadiaN Amid Controversy with New Teammates

CS2 star Casper ‘cadiaN’ Møller has officially joined Astralis, a move that some, including the player himself, believe may be seen as controversial. This is due to cadiaN’s history with two current members of the Danish roster, Martin ‘⁠stavn’ Lund and Jakob ‘jabbi⁠’ Nygaard.

Less than a year ago, these three players were part of HEROIC, but they left the organization following a dispute that arose between the two younger players and cadiaN.

The public saga unfolded in late 2023 when HEROIC aimed to extend the contracts of stavn and jabbi after the team’s success. However, both players issued an ultimatum: they would only return if cadiaN was removed from the roster, as stated by the organization.

Eventually, HEROIC opted to bench the two players, who subsequently signed with rival Danish team Astralis. cadiaN quickly departed for Team Liquid shortly afterward.

Surprise 😈 pic.twitter.com/qpJSddGp8y

— cadiaN (@caspercadiaN) September 17, 2024

Following a series of underwhelming performances with Team Liquid, the North American organization benched cadiaN in June 2024. On September 17, Astralis announced his signing, and the player spoke about the “controversial” nature of the transfer in a press release.

“I understand that some fans might think I’ve had ‘beef’ with Astralis, but in reality, I’ve encountered intense rivalries with various teams and players… This reunion with jabbi and stavn is genuinely exciting for all of us. We’ve dealt with the issues we faced previously and are now fully aligned,” he stated.

“After a year of reflection, our hunger for trophies remains, and we continue to share the same tactical vision that brought us success in the past.”

Astralis has yet to regain its former glory in CS:GO, struggling to leave a mark in major CS2 tournaments. With jabbi and stavn, the team failed to qualify for the PGL Major Copenhagen, with their best result so far being a top-four finish at IEM Chengdu.

The organization hopes to recapture the magic that led to HEROIC’s impressive early 2023 performances, where cadiaN, jabbi, and stavn finished in the top four at the Paris Major, IEM Dallas, and Gamers8.

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