paiN Gaming player Rodrigo "biguzera" Bittencourt reflected on the team’s struggles at IEM Katowice 2025. In an interview with Bo3.gg, he openly admitted to underperforming, discussed the challenges of frequent travel between Brazil and Europe, and shared his thoughts on CS2’s current mechanics.

How difficult was this game for you from 1 to 10? How would you rate your performance?

If I had to rate myself from 1 to 10, it was really bad. Not just this game, but the entire tournament. I played below my usual level. I had good reads, but overall, our individual performance was lacking. We need to improve.

What went wrong in this game? Was it communication or something else?

Everything. Our individual performance was below our usual standard, communication was poor, and our decision-making was off. We didn’t clutch key moments in 2v2 or 3v3 situations.

What makes your team unique?

The fact that anyone on our team can shine in any match. We have a lot of strong players—sometimes it’s Snow, sometimes it’s me, David, or Kizik. We don’t rely on just one star player.

Can Snow become the Brazilian donk?

I wouldn’t compare him to donk, because donk is something entirely different. We’ve never seen anyone like him before. But Snow has a lot of talent, and right now, he’s one of the best in Brazil. I hope he maintains this form and mentality.

Describe Snow in three words.

He’s like a sponge—he absorbs everything I tell him.

After this tough loss, what are your goals for the upcoming year?

Qualifying for the Major and making deep runs in tournaments. Our focus now is reaching playoffs, gaining experience, and competing in arenas.

 Do you live in Europe, or do you travel back to Brazil after tournaments?

I go back to Brazil after every tournament because my family is there. I have two daughters, so it’s hard to stay away. We don’t like traveling back and forth so often, but as Brazilians, we have to deal with it.

Does traveling affect you mentally or physically?

It can weaken our mentality, especially when we have just one or two days to adapt before a tournament. Jet lag also affects us. But if we had to choose, we’d still prefer going back to Brazil because of our families.

Do you like the movement mechanics in CS2, especially with weapons like Tec-9, MAC-10, and MP9?

No, I hate it. The MP9 needs a nerf—it’s too hard to counter when someone is running and shooting at the same time.

What else needs to be fixed in CS2 as soon as possible?

The smoke mechanics. On some maps, it’s impossible to play because smokes give too much information. They need to add more cover, especially on maps like Nuke.

PaiN lost to Astralis and were eliminated from the tournament in the Play-in stage. You can follow the news, schedule, and results of the tournament at the link.