Commentator Vladimir "Maelstorm" Kuzminov harshly criticized the performance of the PARIVISION Dota 2 team in the second group stage of DreamLeague Season 28, hinting that the arrival of a new coach has only exacerbated the team's old problems.
At the time of publication, the team had started the stage with a 0–6 map score and had not won a single series. For comparison: in the first group stage, PARIVISION had a positive record and was among the contenders for a top-4 finish.
Prior to this stage, PARIVISION had shown stability in 2026. The team had a win rate of around 58–60% at major tournaments, consistently reached the playoffs, and was considered a solid mid-tier team on the European scene. However, their performance plummeted in the second DreamLeague group. Their average net worth deficit by the 15th minute in recent matches exceeded 4–5 thousand gold, indicating systemic problems in the laning stage. The effectiveness of key carry heroes also declined, with the win rate on signature picks dropping by almost a third compared to the previous stage.
Maelstorm noted that issues within the organization had been discussed a year ago.
Puppey's Role
The arrival of Clement "Puppey" Ivanov to the coaching staff is at the center of the discussion. A legendary captain and The International 2011 champion, he competed at the highest level for over a decade with Team Secret. Puppey is one of the most decorated players in Dota 2 history. Throughout his career, he has won dozens of major tournaments, repeatedly reached Major finals, and consistently remained at the top of the scene. In 2025, he began gradually stepping back from the role of an active player and focused on work outside the server.
However, the start in the second DreamLeague group has been extremely unsuccessful. According to Maelstorm, the team remains paradoxical. The young carry (Satanic) is capable of single-handedly turning games around but makes critical mistakes in decisive moments. His win rate on signature heroes exceeded 65% in the first stage but has fallen below 40% in the second. Offlaner 9Class also shows a strong dependence on a limited hero pool. His impact is high on comfort picks, but his effectiveness sharply declines on forced picks.
Adding Puppey was supposed to enhance draft depth, but the team has not yet had time to adapt to the new demands.
Currently, PARIVISION has four matches left to play out of seven. Theoretically, chances to advance still exist, but each subsequent loss will be critical. Statistically, the team is among the worst in terms of average mid-game damage and the percentage of lanes won during the tournament's second stage. This is a direct reflection of the current slump.