FURIA's atmosphere has been affected by the pressure of back-to-back tournaments, but after yesterday's team talk, the game against 9z was "much better".
FURIA has played a lot of CS. It's clearly starting to take a toll, both in and out of the server. The team is still trying to make the most of the final months with FalleN, but the uncertainty of the future without him is now compounded by physical and mental exhaustion. KSCERATO emphasized that the team "loves this life" and they "were born for this life." But that doesn't mean everything is always easy.
This doesn't even count as a day off because I have fucking media day! — KSCERATO
yuurih had told Dust2 Brasil that the players "complain" too often. And when FalleN was asked on the ESL Pro League broadcast which player was best for team morale, he replied: "I don't know who the good one is, but they could all be the bad one." "It's hard," KSCERATO admitted — and qualifying 3-2 means the team doesn't even get a day off, because Thursday is media day, which left the Brazilian unhappy.
He added: “When you see frustration, you can't handle it like you used to. Because you're too mentally tired, it's like a snowball effect. So we've improved in this tournament, especially in this match, but we're still complaining a bit and losing focus.”
Q: Congratulations on beating 9z. It looks like you have them figured out as a team now.
A: Yes. I'm really happy we won this match and advanced to the playoffs. This will be my first time playing on the main stage at the Spodek Arena. I've never played on the stage in Katowice, so I'm very happy.
Q: What was the atmosphere like going into the event? Because we know your schedule is crazy, and you still have to work hard to stay focused on it. What was that like?
A: It's hard, bro. I'm not gonna lie to you, it's hard to stay focused because there are too many high-pressure tournaments, too many matches, too much traveling. So it's a bit difficult, but we try to adjust by not training too much, also trying to stay true to ourselves and relax a little, because it's really hard. But it is what it is, we love this life. We were born for this life. I'm proud, that's it.
Q: How does this affect your performance on the server? When you're almost constantly subconsciously exhausted, does it greatly affect things like discipline?
A: I think it affects decision-making more. Without enough rest, you can't make the best decisions you can and need to make. So we talked a lot about decision-making as a team, because it's hard when you're mentally exhausted. But we did our best. That's it.
Q: Regarding FalleN's retirement, the comparison I can make is with Liverpool, when Jürgen Klopp announced his retirement six months before actually stepping down, it felt like it gave the team a short-term energy boost. But in the long term, it almost made it very hard to stay motivated. Does it feel like that now?
A: I'm fucking tired of talking about FalleN retiring, bro... But I mean, it depends on how you look at how his decision affects you. I feel like I'm giving everything to give his career the best ending, trying to win a trophy is the most important thing. But I think we're just living normally. Day by day, unfortunately, one day it will all come to an end.
Q: How does this affect you? Because we know you've played almost 1,700 maps for FURIA. But your contract is up next summer. Does this uncertainty affect you in any way?
A: Hmm, we'll have to see. My contract expires next summer, in the middle of the offseason. So it has an impact... I've talked a lot with FalleN, and we'll see what happens. We don't know what the future holds, but I hope my heart will make the right choice.
Q: Okay. Thanks. So regarding the current in-game stuff, how does the team feel about the map pool? Because we know that after all this traveling, you guys are playing a lot of maps now. What's that like?
A: It's hard because we don't have much time to train. Recently, I don't know, we've only practiced 10 maps in the past month. It's hard for us to train because we're always traveling between tournaments, so our training happens during matches. We don't have much time to practice tactics or anything like that. So it's hard, but I think we're pretty confident. Even without time to train, I think we come in with an 'it will work' mentality, and then we make it work.
Q: Regarding molodoy, I talked to him before this event and he said something like, 'I want to become more aggressive again.' How does the team manage to maintain his aggressiveness while ensuring he makes smart decisions?
A: I think it's fine for him to be more aggressive, but he has to organize the team for this plan. If he does it alone, then it's just hero, hero-ball stuff. But he's improving every day, and I think we're increasingly understanding how he wants to play. We're also trying to help him make a tweak here, a tweak there, and get the team to play together.
Q: In another Dust2 Brasil interview I read, yuurih, and I think FalleN on the broadcast desk as well, said that sometimes the team complains too much during matches. How has that been at this event? Has the in-game atmosphere improved?
A: Like I said, we've played a lot of tournaments and traveled a lot, so mentally we... it's hard. So when you see frustration, you can't handle it like you used to. Because you're too mentally tired, it's like a snowball effect. So we've improved this tournament, especially this match. But we're still complaining a bit and losing focus, not focusing on the next round or the next step. But yes, I think we just need to understand ourselves. We had a really good talk about it yesterday, and today was much better.
Q: Okay. Then in the playoffs, you'll have at least one day off. What would you be satisfied with when leaving Katowice?
A: Hmm, bro, this isn't a day off because I have fucking media day. But it's fine. We'll get a little rest. What did you just ask about Katowice?
Q: That is, in terms of results or performance, what would you be satisfied with when you leave?
A: I want to win this tournament because it's the only tournament FalleN hasn't won, so that would be nice, right? To end with all the trophies.