Fall from grace: Team Secret relegated to Division II after messy DPC start

It’s more difficult to stay on top than to get there, and Team Secret’s last six months have been a testament to that. After a second-place finish at The International 2022, Secret was officially relegated to the second division of the Western European Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) after a loss versus Nigma Galaxy.

Despite an awful start to the 2023 season, Secret still hoped to remain in the first division, as their last two matches were against two other teams fighting to avoid relegation.

Secret cruised through their battle against Into the Breach, but they couldn’t carry the same momentum into their series versus Nigma. Considering both teams were one series away from relegation, most fans expected a relatively close set of games, but Nigma ended up making quick work of Secret.

While Secret had it all figured out at TI11, the runner-ups looked unprepared for the new season. Losing Nisha heavily affected the team, and new core duo of Miroslav “BOOM” Bičan and Remco “Crystallis” Arets hasn’t clicked all the time this season.

BOOM’s overall consistent performance wasn’t enough to cover up for Secret’s other shortcomings. During TI11, Nisha often carried the mantle even when Crystallis had challenging games. Considering Nisha rarely ever had matches where he was shut down, Secret’s ability to make up for their mid-lane’s absence was never truly tested until the new season.

As BOOM was challenged heavily in the mid-lane throughout the first tour, Secret’s core failed to step up in their respective roles. Considering the synergy wasn’t there for Secret, neither were the results, and the team may be pursuing roster changes to ensure their division one return.

Even a single season in the second division will be highly costly for Secret since their chances of directly qualifying for TI12 are as good as gone now. Secret are guaranteed to miss the second major, and they’ll need to make it back to division one in time, finish first in the third tour, and also win the third major to secure a direct invite.