HEN1: "We just need to iron out some things between ourselves and I am sure that we will be in the top 5"

After FURIA took down Vitality to move on in the lower bracket at StarSeries, we caught up with Henrique "⁠HEN1⁠" Teles to talk about his addition to the team and their progression so far.

The 24-year-old has been a part of FURIA for a little over a month now, making his third appearance with the new team at StarSeries after debuting at DreamHack Masters Malmö with a top-eight finish and securing a place in the second group stage of ESL Pro League Americas.

While the new lineup is making a deep run in Turkey, so far to a top-six placement at least, we interviewed HEN1 about how he has been adapting to FURIA's aggressive play style, what it was like playing against and beating his twin brother and long-time teammate Lucas "⁠LUCAS1⁠" Teles at ESL Pro League, and the team's progression at StarSeries.

Tell me about your side of joining FURIA. When we talked to arT ahead of Malmö, he was saying that the team didn't have to think much about the options when they knew you were available, was it just as much of an easy decision for you?

I always believed that I could improve my game and help these guys. I know it is a tough task because they were coming off some good results and that would represent an extra source of pressure for me. I would have to not just prove why I am on the team but also to help them get to the top more easily. I still need to fully integrate into their system, which is a bit different from what I was used to, but the guys are really easy-going and everything is going seamlessly for me. We have a really good structure, and as I said their play style is a bit different but I am adapting to it little by little and the atmosphere is very good. It makes it easier to adapt to their style.

This is your first time playing alongside any of these four players. What did you think of their aggressive style before you joined and how have you been fitting in and adapting to it?

I knew they were constantly evolving, I was not used to this aggressive style but it has been easy to adapt to it because these guys are really good and they have been helping me. I had experienced something like this in Immortals because we played a bit similarly, so it has not been that hard. I think their play style is good and I have been trying to pass on some of my experience so that we have more variation, so that we can play slowly and hold down rounds when needed. But I like this aggressive style and I think it is working out. I am adapting quickly.

What are your first impressions of the potential this team has after the first tournaments together? How far do you think you can go?

We will continue working hard. We still have a lot to improve but we are already among the best. We just need to iron out some things between ourselves and I am sure that we will be in the top 5.

After playing together for such a long time, you had the chance to face your brother LUCAS1 and beat him back at ESL Pro League a couple of weeks ago. How was that experience for you?

It was a different kind of game because there's always that sibling rivalry, even though we love each other. But I treated that game like any other. I think it was a cool and fun game, it was pretty close and it showed me that I am on the right track.

Talk me through your run here at StarSeries. You played a lot of close maps en route to the playoffs and now took down Vitality quite convincingly, are you happy with your progression?

Since our team is still young, we are still messing up some plays, which is normal. I am happy with our results thus far, we are not playing poorly. We have played a different way against every opponent and we are growing after every match. We are working hard to fix our mistakes and we like this volume of games because it makes it easier to work on our mistakes and grow.