After a series of breaks and missed tournaments, M80 is back in action at PGL Astana 2025. Team captain Elias "s1n" Stein discussed their preparation, the pressure of expectations at the major, the importance of boot camps, and the desire to prove that his team deserves to compete at the Tier-1 level.

After the BLAST Open Spring 2025, the team went home, and they only managed to have full-scale practice just before Astana.

After Lisbon (BLAST Open Spring 2025 - the tournament was held in Lisbon), we returned home, and we had no tournaments. Due to high ping, we couldn't train properly, but then we met at a boot camp in Serbia and regained our form."

 

s1n acknowledges that the team has become more confident over time. For many players, this is their first major, and part of the pressure is already behind them.

For everyone except me and slaxz-, this is the first major. We've already taken an important step by qualifying. Now we just need to prove that we deserve to be at such tournaments."

 

As a captain, s1n continues to develop. He is particularly focused on his contribution on the defensive side of maps.

I strive to grow as a leader. Especially on the defensive side — I'm working on my communication and coordination. Everything is good in practice, and now it's important to carry this over to official games.

 

At the Astana tournament, M80 sees a chance to make a statement. Despite the dominance of top teams, there is still room for a breakthrough at Tier-1.

We're here to prove that we deserve this spot. Yes, the top 4 is already obvious — Spirit, MOUZ, Vitality, Falcons — but teams like GamerLegion have already shown that it's possible to break into the elite. We want to do the same.