Iberian Soul ended Day 1 of the Esports World Cup qualifiers on a positive note, sweeping FKOMAR 2-0 without dropping a single round after losing their opening series to 6666 earlier.
During the second match, Gentle Mates confirmed that they would be stepping away from the CS scene after a one-year partnership with the Spanish team, leaving alex's roster once again in search of a new organization.
In a brief post-match interview, alex admitted that since losing the support of Gentle Mates, the team has struggled to maintain morale and focus. However, he also expressed his hope to find a new club "as soon as possible." He also stated that the team will likely have to look internationally to fill the void left by MartinezSa's departure.
Q: You wrapped up the day with a clean 2-0 win, but let's first talk about the first match. Were you disappointed with how it unfolded?
alex: Yes, it's been tough for the team and for the whole environment. I feel like we haven't reached the level we want to be at yet. Even though we've been practicing hard, I have to say we're still not good enough as a team, so I expected these things to happen. We just need to get better.
Q: During your match, Gentle Mates announced they were releasing the roster. How would you describe your time at this club? Are you disappointed that things ended this way?
alex: I have to say, this is a difficult topic. I just want to thank them for the time we've shared. That's all. They want to leave CS, and we have nothing to say, right?
Q: You are now back in the same situation as a year ago, and last time it took you eight months to find a club. How has this affected the players, the team atmosphere, and confidence levels?
Alex: Right now, we are in talks with several clubs, but I feel it's affecting us mentally. When you don't have a club to play for, you have to pay out of pocket to compete in these tournaments, so it's tough—mentally tough. I think this is another issue we need to resolve as soon as possible, because without any club, it's really hard to focus on the matches. But we are staying in touch with some clubs, and I think everything will be resolved soon.
Q: You are currently competing with CRUC1AL as your fifth player and djL as your coach. Is this a temporary arrangement, or is there a possibility they will stay with the team?
alex: Daniel is our official coach. Joey is helping us out, and we've already told him that this will be his last tournament with us. We need to see how things develop and whether we need to make some different arrangements. I feel he has given it his all, and I am very, very grateful to him. I have to say, we just need to find a balance, because we're not even really playing as a proper team; it's more like a makeshift team. I think we need to focus on solving this issue.
Q: A few months ago, when we were chatting at the Roman Imperium Cup, you were in a very promising position to qualify for the Major. Now, you're without a club. What does the future hold for this team? Are you still planning to keep an all-Spanish roster, or are you considering going international?
alex: The problem is that there are no snipers in Spain, only SunPayus and Martinez, and both of them already have teams. So it's really hard for us to find a sniper, and I think in this game, a good sniper can make or break a team. So yes, we were obviously forced to go international.
But as I said, it all happened so fast: when Martinez left the team, we had no time to prepare. We had a tournament, a Stake tournament, and we needed someone to play alongside us, which is why we chose Joey. Of course, we really wanted to field a Spanish roster, but I think that would have been very difficult.
Q: Is SunPayus an option, or is it completely impossible due to contract issues?
alex: I'm not sure about his situation, but he's certainly an option. However, I think he will continue playing for an international team.