Immortals: "Bo1 format favors us"

1-3-2017 02:00

We caught up with Immortals' Rafael "zakk" Fernandes and Lucas "lucas" Teles before the start of IEM Katowice and quizzed them about the team's preparation for the tournament and the recent roster changes.

The Brazilian team return to Katowice exactly one year after attending the 2016 IEM World Championship, where they took 5th-6th after an impressive group stage run that saw them beat E-frag, Virtus.pro and EnVyUs while still playing under Tempo Storm.

The ESL event will mark the offline debut of the new Immortals line-up, featuring veteran Lincoln "⁠fnx⁠" Lau after João "⁠felps⁠" Vasconcellos was recruited by SK Gaming.

Read on to find out what Rafael "⁠zakk⁠" Fernandes and Lucas "⁠LUCAS1⁠" Teles had to say about missing the ELEAGUE Major, losing felps to a rival, and the preparation for the upcoming showpiece event.

You won some big tournaments during the first seven months of 2016, but the final months of the year were a bit rough. What do you think that caused this dip in form?

Rafael "⁠zakk⁠" Fernandes: I do not believe there was a dip in form. We lost at IEM Oakland to NiP, the team that would go on to win the tournament. We truly had a terrible run at ECS, but we won the Minor. Sadly, we ended up not qualifying for the Major out of nervousness. But this is 2017. This will be our first event of the year, and we will be able to assess where we stand right now.

At the ELEAGUE Major qualifier, you ended up losing to G2 in a match that seemed to be under control. What went wrong? Was it a tough blow to take?

Rafael "⁠zakk⁠" Fernandes: Yes, it was a tough blow. Things simply did not work out on the Terrorist side like we had practiced. We also lost pretty heavily against mousesports in a match where we were dominated. Cache is a map we have worked very hard on for IEM Katowice.

zakk believes Immortals will soon cease to be a feeder team

Being at a Major is something the team has been chasing for a long time. What would it mean to qualify for the next Major?

Rafael "⁠zakk⁠" Fernandes: It would mean that we had finally fulfilled our duty.

At the start of the month, felps joined SK. This is something that many knew that would eventually happen. When was it that you knew that you would lose him? How was it to play with him, knowing that he would eventually leave?

Rafael "⁠zakk⁠" Fernandes: We did not know that he was going to leave, and neither did he. He was invited to join SK in January, and until then nothing was certain.

Your team has thrice lost players to Luminosity/SK. Is it hard to lose talented players over and over again, and to have to start from scratch?

Rafael "⁠zakk⁠" Fernandes: Everyone here knows that joining SK means having opportunities that, right now, this team does not have. I am sad that we are sort of an academy squad for SK, but I believe that, with time, that will no longer be the case.

To replace felps, you picked up fnx. Was it an obvious choice? Was he the only player you considered?

Rafael "⁠zakk⁠" Fernandes: He was the only one we wanted. He is a friend of ours, an experienced player and a very cool guy.

How have you prepared for IEM? Do you think you are ready?

Rafael "⁠zakk⁠" Fernandes: We bootcamped in Poland for five days, but before that we were practicing about nine hours a day in the United States. I do not know if we are ready just yet, because with fnx's addition a lot has changed, and not everything is the way it to be we want yet.

fnx was the only player considered by Immortals to replace felps, says zakk

What are your expectations?

Rafael "⁠zakk⁠" Fernandes: Of course that we would like to at least reach the semi-finals, but I believe that pressure will not be on our shoulders this tournament.

The group stage will be played in a best-of-one format. Do you think this format favors a team like yours, who seem to struggle for consistency in bo3 matches?

Rafael "⁠zakk⁠" Fernandes: Yes, this format favors us.

Your team's first big tournament was precisely the 2016 IEM Katowice. What memories do you have from that tournament? Can you draw some parallels between then and now?

Lucas "⁠LUCAS1⁠" Teles: The feeling to play in front of the Polish crowd is very good, I believe Polish and Brazilian people are alike in many ways. I am happy to be here again and I will try to write some more history.

nice

2017-03-01 02:05

30 replies

I believe Polish and Brazilian people are alike in many ways yes by having the two most cancerous fanbases....

2017-03-01 02:10

29 replies

The two most cancerous fanbases raise a ton of money to this scene. These countries produced SK and VP, teams that make you waste your time by watching CS GO. Quit being an arrogant prick, you're not an angel either to judge other people attitudes. And what do you mean by cancerous? Because your post is as retarded as it gets, and guess what: neither a brazilian nor a polish has written it!

2017-03-01 02:25

12 replies

you raise a ton of money? by watching a twitch stream, for free? lmao also you didnt "produce" SK, SK had many prestigious rosters before, the brazilian one is just one of them... where am i being arrogant, youre just triggered because i said something bad about brazil, fuck off nerd

2017-03-01 02:28

11 replies

clearly you have no idea how marketing works

2017-03-01 02:34

2 replies

Maybe he doesnt have any idea about marketing, but he is right about the cancerous fanbases xd

2017-03-01 06:21

1 reply

2017-03-01 08:09

u r dumb

2017-03-01 02:38

2017-03-01 02:40

thank you, we appreciate your jealous! Don't hate us bro, accept the reality, you haven't scene and sit down front of your PC watching my team, my proud playing so GOOD csgo... We smart, we loyal, we friendly, we are from BRAZIL! Kreygasm

2017-03-01 02:50

4 replies

From my personal experience not all Brazilians are friendly.

2017-03-01 03:12

3 replies

sorry to hear about that! good luck next time buddy!

2017-03-01 03:14

You are one of them.

2017-03-01 07:05

sorry to hear about that! It's not possible to gratify everyone... but whatever, thank you, we appreciate that!

2017-03-01 07:22

i.imgur.com/uBdpBTD.gif

2017-03-01 05:09

If only every team had this kind of fanbase. Like we have in football...

2017-03-01 02:39

that's not true >:c

2017-03-01 02:45

5 replies

well to be a bad winner you have to win something first, but it looks like i accidently triggered half the population of brazil and poland. take it lightly it was mainly just a joke :D

2017-03-01 02:48

you're not good at joking, quit it or at least try betta bro.

2017-03-01 06:55

Im actually amazed that so many people got triggered by his comment, lul.

2017-03-01 07:36

+1 xd

2017-03-01 08:26

I was triggered so bad that accidentally hit my sister with my hand.

2017-03-01 11:09

Polish and Brazilian fanbases are the biggest is csgo so it's obvious they will have the biggest amount of retards don't you think?

#44

2017-03-01 02:51

you didn't trigger me because I'm not that kind of a retard I've just explained to you why these fanbases are the most cancerous - because they're the biggest out there

2017-03-01 02:52

i was more talking about the first part, im aware that theres probably an equal percent of retards in every fanbase, but brazil and poland are the only ones who can really trashtalk and bait because their teams are actually winning stuff.

2017-03-01 02:56

you have no scene. Enjoy /closed

2017-03-01 04:06

lmao how are people getting mad by the truth

2017-03-01 07:06

Get_RighT: " both Poland and Brazil have the best crowds I'v ever seen "

2017-03-01 07:42

two best CS fanbases, look at any LAN hosted by them and youll see

2017-03-01 10:25

lol I guess you don'y understand anything about CS or how passionate Brazilians and Polish are for CS... hates gonna hate lol FAVELAS>>ALL

2017-03-02 03:11

GL to all EU teams

lel

And then they lose against eZaF

2017-03-01 02:06

and win against astralis

2017-03-01 17:44

Well they're 2-1 só it's all good

2017-03-01 17:57

FaZe is going to the semis... shit grand final: SK X FaZe

2017-03-01 20:46

"I believe Polish and Brazilian people are alike in many ways." RiP

2017-03-01 02:07

half hltv triggered

2017-03-01 02:14

Immortals: I wonder why even in this tier 3 European shithole life's better than in Brazilië.

gz but they won`t win anything even if they manage a few wins.

I just want for Fnx to destroy SK :)

Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk fnx destroying SK kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

2017-03-01 03:10

hltv.org/match/2307756-immortals-sk-esl-.. hltv.org/match/2307758-sk-immortals-esl-.. I do not think it will happen

gl guys

No chance

Ez HenGOD

2017-03-01 02:13

Lucas "lucas" Teles: The feeling to play in front of the Polish crowd is very good, I believe Polish and Brazilian people are alike in many ways Ayyyyyy

2017-03-01 02:15

lul

2017-03-01 02:19

Sorry HLTV but Lucas1 really said it? He is troll and it's not his face say something like that so smart! Good luck Immortal, <3 my country, my team, my proud! We smart, we loyal, we friendly, we are from BRAZIL! Kreygasm

2017-03-01 02:30