Natus Vincere advanced to the playoffs of IEM Rio, but a loss in the seeding match against FURIA sent the team to the quarterfinals. Despite the recent victory in the ESL Pro League Season 20, NAVI could not directly reach the tournament semi-finals.
The loss to FURIA was an unpleasant moment for NAVI, which had consistently shown high results throughout the year. After an unexpected triumph at the PGL Major Copenhagen and victories at the Esports World Cup and EPL, the team also secured second places at IEM Cologne and the BLAST Spring and Fall Final.
Intense Competition and Tense Atmosphere at Tournaments
NAVI captain Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen was interviewed by HLTV after the match against FURIA. He noted that the team lacked confidence on the Nuke and Mirage maps, where FURIA showed high game intensity. "They were just faster than us today", admitted Aleksib. Especially on the Nuke map, NAVI managed to tie the score at 10-10, but the decisive rounds went to the Brazilians.
Additionally, Aleksi pointed out moments of frustration within the team during the match. "Yes, there were some disagreements during the game, but it's normal for us", noted the captain. According to him, such emotions are natural in tense matches, and the team quickly deals with them. "We just need to analyze and fix our mistakes for the next match", he added.
Schedule Issues and the Importance of the Second Major
Aleksib also commented on the tight tournament schedule. After winning the ESL Pro League and losing to G2 at the Fall Final, the team had little time to prepare for the next tournament. "It felt like we hadn't won anything, as if everything was taken away from you", said the captain, referring to the loss in the Fall Final following the EPL win. However, he emphasized that the team continues to move forward despite temporary difficulties.
At the same time, NAVI's captain highlighted the importance of upcoming tournaments, including RMR and the Major, which will be held in China. "Winning the second Major would be a dream come true for me", shared Virolainen. He added that the team is ready to put maximum effort to return to their best form.
Loss of s1mple and Future Plans
The issue of Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev's move on loan to the Falcons team was also touched upon. Virolainen noted that this decision was not unexpected for the team, as NAVI had already shown improvement without s1mple. "We knew that there wouldn't be any changes in the near future", said the captain, referring to the team's long-term plans.
Ahead of the final matches of IEM Rio, NAVI is in a difficult situation, but Virolainen is confident that the team can return to their best form. "We know what we're capable of, and we understand what needs to be done to move forward", concluded the captain.
Source: HLTV
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