Leo Team is Back at a LAN Event: Malkiss and OneUn1que on the OneTab Tournament in Odessa
In 2026, esports is facing a serious crisis. International offline tournaments are being canceled one after another, and promising teams are losing opportunities to compete for new titles and showcase their skills.
For the Ukrainian team Leo Team, this is more than just a statistic. In the last few months alone, the team has lost four tournaments due to organizers pulling out. But despite this, the Lions aren’t giving up and continue to look for new opportunities to gain experience.
The OneTab Tournament, taking place May 30–31 in Odesa, came as a pleasant surprise, where some of Leo Team’s players will compete for gold. UA.NEWS spoke exclusively with the tournament’s upcoming participants, Mykhailo “Malkiss” Shulga and Maksym “OneUn1que” Shybko. Read on to learn about their LAN experience, new faces on the roster, and why this tournament is more important than it seems.
What kind of tournament in which Leo Team representatives will frequently participate?
The OneTab Tournament is an offline CS2 competition with a prize pool of 545,000 UAH, which will take place in Odesa. The first rounds will take place at the OneTab cyberclub, while the semifinals and finals will be held at Concert Hall Odesa. According to Liquipedia, 12 teams will participate in the tournament, which will use a single-elimination bracket, with all matches played in a Bo3 format. Therefore, this is expected to be a major regional LAN tournament.
On changes to the Lions’ roster
Interestingly, Leo Team is not traveling to the competition with its main roster. Mykhailo “Malkiss” Shulga and Maksym “OneUn1que” Shybko will compete alongside Toksik and Kriki under the team name “Leo Mix.”
“There will be a lot of Ukrainian players at the tournament, especially young ones, and this will undoubtedly affect the game, as they’ll be very dynamic. I know Kriki well, and Misha knows Toksik. It’s an interesting opportunity to play in such a mix. The fifth player hasn’t been chosen yet, which adds some intrigue. We’ll see how it all turns out. We won’t be the only ones with mixed teams like this,” says “OneUn1que.”
On emotions and readiness to travel to the tournament
For both players, this tournament marks a return to the live stage after a long hiatus. And that’s exactly what makes it special.
“Malkiss” doesn’t hide the fact that his feelings are mixed:
“On the one hand, there’s a wild rush and motivation, because this is the first serious LAN in a long time. On the other hand, there’s tension, because online and live are two different games.”
According to Mykhailo, the realization that it was worth attending this tournament came after the latest training sessions. However, he admits that there are also certain concerns regarding the changed roster and their first participation in a serious competition in a long time:
“We started playing with much more confidence—less chaos, more trust in each other. That’s when the feeling came: ‘Okay, we can do this.’ Max and I have great chemistry, especially on certain maps.
For me personally, the main thing right now is concentration. I haven’t been to a LAN in a long time, so that could be a challenge. Plus, the roster will be different, and that also brings up certain thoughts.
But, in my opinion, true readiness is when you stop thinking about all of that. Emotions at the start can drain a lot of energy; at a LAN, it’s easy to burn out before the first map even starts. Fortunately, we’ll have a coach with us, so we’re looking forward to his support.”
And “OneUn1que” shares what he looks forward to most in the final seconds before the game starts:
“When you sit down on stage, put on your headphones, and realize that this isn’t Faceit [an online platform for practice matches] or a practice session anymore. This is a real tournament. That moment is the best. My role requires me to fully immerse myself in the process, and that moment helps me the most.”
On the change in communication at LAN events and the biggest challenge during preparation
“Malkiss” explains that the experience and feeling during an online tournament and a LAN event are significantly different: 16:44
“If at an online tournament you can relax a bit or get distracted, at a LAN every piece of information feels more important. In those moments, a teammate’s voice can either calm you down or, on the contrary, ruin the round.
Plus, we have a mixed roster, so I have to be attentive and understand the people I haven’t played with on the team yet. I think we’ll meet with them before the tournament, sit down, and have a good chat to establish communication in advance.”
Internal preparation is no less important. “OneUn1que” candidly shared what is most difficult for him:
“It’s not even about tactics. The hardest part is keeping a level head every day and not getting overwhelmed by expectations. At a high level, skill and tactics are about 50-50. A lot of people know how to shoot. But not everyone can play under pressure.”
On emotions and the importance of LAN
Mykhailo says he’s more emotional than “OneUn1que.” He explains this by his role on the team:
“If we secure a crucial clutch, I might start screaming as if we’ve already won the tournament. But that’s exactly what LAN is all about—it’s all about that. Max is generally calm. Sometimes it seems like his heart rate doesn’t even change during the most intense clutches.”
But despite the excitement, for Mykhailo, this tournament isn’t just about the result:
“For me, it’s first and foremost about having a good time with a friend and the other guys. It’s about intense emotions, and that’s exactly what I’m going for. Plus, there are a few teams there that we’ve been watching online for a long time. It’ll be interesting to see what it’s like to play against them in person. Plus, a first win at a LAN always takes some of the pressure off. It’s a huge confidence boost.”
On the final preparations before the LAN
Maksym has no illusions about how the mixed roster will perform at LAN. He says that different reactions to pressure are normal:
“Some people start overthinking things, while others, on the contrary, try to force everything. It’s a normal part of the process. Right now, we’re playing with them—everything’s fine. But the atmosphere at LAN is different. When the whole team stands up at the same time after a clutch—it’s impossible to compare that to online play.”
He shares that the day before the tournament, he wants to meet up with the guys, chat, and walk around the city:
“We need to establish communication—that’s the main thing. I want to meet with the coach and chat with him too. In the morning, maybe I’ll go for a run—it helps me focus. And I’ll eat some fish, after all.”
And when asked what he wants to show people, Maksym answers simply:
“Good gameplay and skill. I want to get in shape with this LAN. I think it’ll be a great opportunity.”
“No online format can replace the live scene”: Leo Team CBDO Daria Kotul on the value of regional LAN events
As international tournaments disappear from the calendar one by one, regional LAN events are becoming perhaps the only opportunity for Ukrainian teams to experience the live scene. Leo Team CBDO Daria Kotul explained why participating in the OneTab Tournament is not just another competition, but something much bigger:
“In 2026, we’re seeing major international tournaments get canceled one after another. It’s painful—both for organizations and for players who spend months preparing for specific competitions. That’s exactly why regional LAN events, like the OneTab Tournament, are becoming especially valuable. They offer something no online format can replace: a live stage, live opponents, and real-time excitement.
For us at Leo Team, participating in such tournaments is an investment in player development. It doesn’t matter whether the full starting lineup is playing or a mixed team under the Leo banner. The main thing is that the guys gain experience and grow. It is through such steps that the path to great results is built.”
Leo Team is heading to Odesa with a mixed lineup, but with a clear strategy and the right mindset. UA.NEWS is rooting for the guys and will be waiting for the results from Odesa.
