slaxz- departs Sprout

The AWPer leaves Sprout after serving the organisation for close to two years.

Sprout have announced that Fritz "⁠slaxz-⁠" Dietrich is no longer on the team's starting lineup and that he has subsequently exited the German organisation. The move brings an end to a two-year partnership between the parties, which began with the German sniper's signing in 2021.

slaxz-'s departure also marks the team's first lineup change since their switch to a Danish-majority squad in August, a pivot which resulted in the organisation making its first-ever Legends Stage appearance at IEM Rio back in November.

slaxz- enjoyed a fair amount of success in the two years he played for the Berlin-based organisation, averaging a solid 1.09 rating over 583 maps. The majority of the 24-year-old's time in a Sprout jersey was spent in the tier-two level of play, where his high-impact performances in the server enabled the team to pick up a handful of first-place finishes in domestic competitions.

These showings come alongside the side's ability to consistently remain in the top flight of ESL's league circuit. The Danish squad notably took home a bronze-medal finish in the recently concluded ESL Challenger League Season 43, with slaxz- showcasing his proficiency with the Big Green by sporting a healthy 1.14 rating in one of his last tournament appearances under the Sprout banner.

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Sprout complete roster with refrezh and Zyphon

Sprout has hovered around the top 20 in the world ranking in the months following their double signings back in August. The side made waves by earning a Legends Stage berth at the IEM Road to Rio Europe RMR in October, finishing proceedings in third place with a 3-1 record after suffering a single loss at the hands of FaZe, the pre-tournament favourites.

The international ensemble couldn't continue their Cinderella run into the Major itself, however, and the team was eventually sent packing in 12-14th place, a 2-0 upset against Ninjas in Pyjamas being their only victory during their time in Rio de Janeiro.

slaxz-'s departure from Sprout leaves the roster down to just four active members heading into the player break. A replacement is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, as they have the IEM Katowice 2023 Play-In on their calendar, which begins on January 31.

"Today, we officially say goodbye to Fritz after almost two years together. We wish him best of success in his future. Together, we have achieved a lot, including three won championships, participation in the IEM Cologne and, in particular, the trip to the Major in Rio this year," said Daniel Paulus, the team's manager.

"I say goodbye today not only to a player, but above all to a friend, a fantastic person and a motivated and passionate player. Fritz, I hope to see you soon on a LAN and am sure you will achieve all your goals."

Sprout now have the following players on their books:

Victor "⁠Staehr⁠" Staehr
Laurențiu "⁠lauNX⁠" Țârlea
Ismail "⁠refrezh⁠" Ali
Rasmus "⁠Zyphon⁠" Nordfoss

Danny "⁠BERRY⁠" Krüger (coach)