n0rb3r7 on reaching Rio final: "Nothing special; we just need to prove ourselves tomorrow"

Outsiders' Dastan "⁠dastan⁠" Akbayev and David "⁠n0rb3r7⁠" Danielyan spoke to HLTV saying pressure will be on the other team whether FURIA or HEROIC join them in the grand final.

Outsiders became the first team to secure a spot in the IEM Rio Major grand final following a 2-1 win over MOUZ. After the match, the team's coach, dastan, and first-time Major grand finalist n0rb3r7 gave a brief interview to HLTV about the semi-final series and upcoming title decider.

Asked about his initial reaction on making his first grand final appearance at a Major, n0rb3r7 was stoic, saying the job is not yet done.

"I'm feeling pretty calm, because there is nothing special. We're just in the grand final and we just need to prove ourselves tomorrow," the rifler said.

He and the coach echoed similar sentiments when asked about potential opponents in the grand final, saying that even if FURIA advance, the pressure will be on the Brazilians.

"If we play against FURIA, the crowd of course will be for them, but it will create more pressure," dastan claimed. "I don't have pressure. Only for FURIA if they win," n0rb3r7 added.

You can watch the full interview above or read the full transcript of the interview below:

Congratulations, guys, on a grand final spot here at the IEM Rio Major. First of all, n0rb3r7, what were your initial reactions making it to your first grand final.

n0rb3r7: "Actually, I'm feeling pretty calm, because there is nothing special. We're just in the grand final and we just need to prove ourselves tomorrow."

dastan: "I think what was important after Overpass to win this game because it's the first time when the other team at this tournament converted us, and it was a hard moment for the team to show our balls. It wasn't a good start on Inferno, and then we started to roll, and then they started a comeback. The T side, from the pistol round it was on our side. But the score doesn't show anything. It was a very close game. It was hard to play against MOUZ, three, four, five times in a row.

How much did that affect things? You played something like six maps against them just in the last month.

dastan: "I think when we played in Rotterdam semi-finals, I think even we or them didn't expect that we will play semi-finals at the Major. But mousesports is a good team, they are young, and I feel that they're developing fast. It wasn't easy because it's mind games, which map, who will choose which map, what gameplan, because [we played them] five times, and the last one was the most important and it would [decide] everything, who is better. And I'm happy that we won.

FURIA or Heroic, that's going to be the second semi-final. Which do you think is a better matchup for you? Both could get pretty volatile.

n0rb3r7: "I think I prefer FURIA. I don't know why, but maybe because of the crowd, or we know how to play versus FURIA, because we played three times versus them, and I think FURIA is better than Heroic."

dastan: "It's kinda the same type of teams. It will be an interesting match, because FURIA play aggressive and Heroic play not that much aggressive, but they have their mind games. In general, it's the grand final, it's another match. It's a grand final, it will be about who is more strong - not much about highlights, just who is better, that's all. And who will play good under pressure, because these two teams will think about 'oh, this title is so close.' The better team will win. I don't know who will be better, FURIA or Heroic, both of them are good teams. But against any of these two teams, we have a strong side, because if FURIA go through, they will feel more pressure. If Heroic go through, it might be everything against cadiaN.

Could the crowd play into it, as well? It could get pretty loud against you guys if it's FURIA who advance.

dastan: "If we play against FURIA, the crowd of course will be for them, but it will create more pressure."

n0rb3r7: "I don't have pressure. Only for FURIA if they win."