MIBR player Rafael "saffee" Costa reflected on the team's performance at IEM Katowice 2025 Play-In, explained the reasons behind the loss to Virtus.pro, and shared his thoughts on the current CS2 meta. In an interview with Bo3.gg, he also spoke about the team's preparation for PGL, the impact of constant travel, and the recent changes to Train.

I am so sad for you losing. What went wrong in this game?

I think the start of the season hasn't been great for us. We had a slow start, and in this game, they won many key rounds, especially on force buys. They gambled on some stacks, and it worked. We couldn't recover. Winning the CT pistol could have helped, but we didn't, and that affected everything.

Let's move past this game. What makes your team unique?

I’d say our resilience. Even on Ancient, we tried to mount a comeback but fell short. The same happened against Astralis. We keep fighting, and that’s our key strength.

You mentioned Virtus.pro tried to snowball with an aggressive first round. Do you think the Tec-9 and MAC-10 are too strong in CS2? Should Valve nerf them?

The run-and-shoot meta is very different from CS:GO. It’s much stronger now. I think some things need fixing, not just weapons but also pixel advantages and other mechanics. Adjustments are needed, but it's part of the game, and we have to adapt.

Recently, the M4A4 price was lowered. Will you use it?

Maybe. I used it back in the day, so I might give it another try.

What are your main goals for 2025?

Our main goal is, of course, the Major. We were unlucky here and really wanted to play in Katowice. But for now, we aim to do well in upcoming tournaments, earn points, and qualify for the Major.

Are you staying in Europe or flying back home?

We’re going back to Brazil for 13 days before heading to Romania for PGL.

How does all this traveling affect you?

We have to get used to it. For this event, we flew from Brazil and arrived the day before our first match. It’s exhausting, but we need to manage it. When we bootcamp in Europe, it’s easier.

Which team do you think is the strongest right now?

Brazil has many strong teams, including Imperial. I’d say they are among the best.

What do you think about the Train changes? Which side benefits more?

It’s hard to say. T-sides now have more explosive plays on mid. Previously, CTs had better control of mid and outside, but now Ts can be more aggressive. Overall, it’s more balanced.

MIBR lost to Virtus.Pro 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.