Tarik Steps Down From Evil Geniuses, Addresses Valo

Tarik steps down from Evil Geniuses, addresses Valo Fariha Bhatti Published 16/04/2021

Tarik “tarik” Celik has announced his exit from Evil Geniuses to pursue content creation, putting the rumors of switching to Valorant to rest. 

Evil Geniuses’ ace rifler and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s one of the iconic players tarik has officialized his temporary break from competitive play. The rumors of him quitting CSGO for Riot Games’ shooter have been rife for quite a while, but the professional player clarified that he’s sitting on the bench for an imminent return. 

“I’m going to be reflecting on things that I could have done better or differently throughout my time on the team but more than anything focus on getting back into form. This will be my primary goal while being on the bench,” tarik said.

As an integral part to our ongoing presence in CS:GO, @tarik is transitioning to focus on streaming and content creation. We are excited to support and work with him while exploring the next steps in his career. pic.twitter.com/shNsEMkEJI

— Evil Geniuses (@EvilGeniuses) April 15, 2021

The news comes after EG’s disappointing string of performances across different tournaments, taking losses to lower-tier teams. The viewers heavily criticized tarik for his poor showing, prompting a response from the pro player. The 25-year old had responded to the backlash and received support from fellow pro players who urged him to stay in CSGO amid the North American Valorant wave. 

Yo thanks for kicking a man while he’s down.. I already know I lost us the game. You aren’t perfect either, shit happens. ????????‍♂️

— tarik (@tarik) April 7, 2021

Why is tarik leaving Evil Geniuses?

tarik joined Evil Geniuses in March 2019 and has since remained an integral part of the team. His departure comes from a difference in opinion in how the team should be operated, tarik explained in his statement. The pro player acknowledged the lackluster results and revealed that he had a different approach to recurring issues that didn’t align with the team. 

His announcement didn’t mention switching to a particular game, which comes as a relief for CS fans. However, he hasn’t ruled out the possibility either. For now, the pro player is following in the footsteps of the likes of Michael “shroud” Grzesiek and Christopher ” GeT_RiGhT” Alesund and will be producing his own content. tarik will likely return to pro play if an ideal opportunity comes up. 

EG signs MICHU to replace tarik 

tarik will be replaced by Polish player Michał “⁠MICHU⁠” Müller, who will debut for EG in the FunSpark ULTI 2020 Europe Final on April 19. The 24-year old has previously played for Envy, Virtus.Pro, and other major CSGO squads. 

EG recently lost its key player Ethan “Ethan” Arnold to Valorant and tarik’s departure is undoubtedly a major hit to the roster already going through a slump. MICHU’s extensive experience should help EG claw back before the CSGO RMR events kick-off. 

• Beyond the Summit to hold first CSGO RMR event of 2021

EG’s current roster is: 

• Vincent “⁠Brehze⁠” Cayonte
• Tsvetelin “⁠CeRq⁠” Dimitrov
• Peter “⁠stanislaw⁠” Jarguz
• Owen “⁠oBo⁠” Schlatter
• Michał “⁠MICHU⁠” Müller
• Wilton “⁠zews⁠” Prado (coach)

Fariha Bhatti About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

View full profile

Read Also

Esports Betting PARIVISION vs Vitality at PGL Cluj-Napoca: Final preview, picks Fariha Bhatti PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 has its CS2 finalists locked in, and with PARIVISION reaching its second S-tier final of the year, our betting preview considers whether the team can complete its Cinderella run on the big stage versus tournament favorite Vitality. PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 has been full of surprises thus far, but PARIVISION saved the biggest for last. After knocking out MOUZ in the semifinals, the Russian core now faces Vitality, ... Esports Betting The MongolZ vs Vitality at PGL Cluj-Napoca: Semifinal preview Fariha Bhatti By knocking out FURIA, The MongolZ have ensured Vitality avoids one of its most dangerous match-ups at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026, but that result now puts the Mongolian side face-to-face with the tournament’s biggest favorite in the semifinal. Here’s how our preview sees this match shaping up for bettors. The MongolZ is a team not to be taken lightly, but on most days, a Vitality match-up wouldn’t spark much debate given ... Esports Betting The MongolZ vs Furia at PGL Cluj-Napoca: Playoff preview, picks Steven Rondina The MongolZ and Furia are set to face off in the PGL Cluj-Napoca playoffs, and it’s an interesting matchup for bettors between two quality teams looking to stake a claim at the top of the CS2 esports scene. Match PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 Playoffs Kick-off February 20, 2026 at 12 pm ET Top pick Furia wins 2-1 Betting favorite Furia The main event of the quarterfinals is undoubtedly The MongolZ vs ... Esports Betting NAVI vs MOUZ at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026: Quarterfinal preview Fariha Bhatti PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 has reached its playoffs stage, and after NAVI scraped in at the last possible moment it gets a real test: Can it hold its ground against a far more stable MOUZ? Here’s our match preview. The group stage of Cluj-Napoca 2026 mostly went by the script until the final round, when FaZe crashed out in a shock exit. NAVI’s survival turned just as many heads, but the ... Esports Betting NAVI vs G2 at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026: Swiss stage preview, picks Steven Rondina There are just three spots left in the PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 playoffs, and as NAVI and G2 Esports will soon go head-to-head for one of them, our preview breaks down the match, its odds, and the best picks bettors can make. Match PGL Cluj-Napoca Group Stage Kick-off February 18, 2026 at 11 am ET Top pick G2 wins Betting favorite NAVI The top contenders of the tournament have already earned ... Esports Betting G2 vs HEROIC at PGL Cluj-Napoca: Round 4 preview, picks Fariha Bhatti After losing two games in a row at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026, G2 Esports finds itself in an elimination round against HEROIC. Will it even be able to beat a team that’s currently out of the top 20? Our match preview for this clash between G2 and HEROIC breaks down the odds. G2 may still be on Valve’s invite list thanks to its ranking in Europe, but its recent results haven’t ... Esports Betting FURIA vs Falcons at PGL Cluj-Napoca: Swiss stage preview, picks Fariha Bhatti Round 3 of the PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 swiss stage opens with FURIA vs Falcons, a matchup between two sides riding solid recent form, and with a spot in round 4 on the line, our preview breaks down who holds the odds edge and why. FURIA came close to its late 2025 form at IEM Krakow 2026, setting up PGL Cluj-Napoca as the perfect stage to finally claim a desired victory. ...