zakk joins Imperial

The Brazilian skipper links up with the quintet to round out the roster ahead of the 2023 season.

Imperial have announced the addition of Rafael "⁠zakk⁠" Fernandes as the team's new head coach. The 31-year-old takes the reins from Lincoln "⁠fnx⁠" Lau, who stood behind the squad for close to five months following his benching back in August.

The move also comes just one day after the Brazilian ensemble welcomed Jhonatan "⁠JOTA⁠" Willian into the fold, who joins the side as a replacement for the outgoing Fernando "⁠fer⁠" Alvarenga.

Read more
Imperial add JOTA; bid farewell to fer
zakk returns to a coaching position after departing 9z a fortnight ago

zakk makes the move to Imperial after previously representing 9z since March 2020. His tutelage proved to be a boon for the South American composition, who went on to secure a handful of local titles during the online era before following this up with a LAN victory at the Flow FiReLEAGUE Finals in November 2021.

More recently, the Brazilian skipper stood behind 9z in their runs through the Challengers Stage of both the PGL Antwerp and IEM Rio Majors. The side went winless at the Valve-sponsored event in Belgium, but rebounded in time for the tournament on home soil, where they put up a respectable 2-3 record to narrowly miss out on a Legends Stage berth.

Imperial's addition of the 31-year-old comes as the side attempts to recreate the strong showings witnessed towards the start of the roster's inception. The Gabriel "⁠FalleN⁠" Toledo-led squad notably made a Cinderella run to the Legends Stage of the PGL Antwerp Major to reach a peak of No. 14 on the world ranking. This run of good form wasn't built to last, however, with the Brazilian outfit exiting the following Major in Rio de Janeiro in joint-last place, and now sit outside the top 30 for the first time since May 2022.

Imperial now have the following roster:

Brazil Ricardo "⁠boltz⁠" Prass
Brazil Gabriel "⁠FalleN⁠" Toledo
Brazil Vinicius "⁠VINI⁠" Figueiredo
Brazil Marcelo "⁠chelo⁠" Cespedes
Brazil Jhonatan "⁠JOTA⁠" Willian

Brazil Rafael "⁠zakk⁠" Fernandes (coach)

Brazil Fernando 'fer' Alvarenga
Fernando 'fer' Alvarenga
Age:
31
Team:
No team
Rating 1.0:
1.08
Maps played:
1466
KPR:
0.75
DPR:
0.68
Brazil Jhonatan 'JOTA' Willian
Jhonatan 'JOTA' Willian
Age:
24
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.09
Maps played:
542
KPR:
0.73
DPR:
0.63
Brazil Marcelo 'chelo' Cespedes
Marcelo 'chelo' Cespedes
Age:
24
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.06
Maps played:
946
KPR:
0.72
DPR:
0.66
Brazil Vinicius 'VINI' Figueiredo
Vinicius 'VINI' Figueiredo
Age:
23
Team:
Rating 1.0:
0.99
Maps played:
1026
KPR:
0.66
DPR:
0.66
Brazil Gabriel 'FalleN' Toledo
Gabriel 'FalleN' Toledo
Age:
31
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.07
Maps played:
1613
KPR:
0.69
DPR:
0.60
Brazil Ricardo 'boltz' Prass
Ricardo 'boltz' Prass
Age:
25
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.06
Maps played:
1327
KPR:
0.71
DPR:
0.63
Brazil Lincoln 'fnx' Lau
Lincoln 'fnx' Lau
Age:
32
Team:
No team
Rating 1.0:
1.02
Maps played:
688
KPR:
0.69
DPR:
0.66
Cool
2023-01-14 17:57
0
12 replies
#3
 | 
Brazil ZerongBr
actually good addition to coaching
2023-01-14 17:58
0
11 replies
forkish
2023-01-14 18:12
0
still bad team with boltz.... they need a more agro guy ...
2023-01-14 18:16
0
8 replies
#18
Faceit level 8  | 
 | 
Brazil Frez7y
cant disagree
2023-01-14 18:43
0
#24
 | 
Brazil _Awper
With Vini, Chelo, and Jota? They need more agro? Imperial problem is not the players, even FNX was not that bad, the problem is tactical.
2023-01-14 19:15
0
4 replies
?? Jota is like coldzera , not agro. chelo only agro player vini also passive holder. all can play agressive , but not as good as they can play passive.
2023-01-14 19:30
0
3 replies
he prob doesnt know what agro means. That being said, VINI is not passive, but boltz is passive by nature. When boltz were at his prime and joined SK to replace fnx/felps, it was nice because even having to play a little more passive than we used to in Imortals, he was still a beast. And they had Taco, so. Now he has to be the most passive player and he cant play like that. So its probably going to be changed in 2023.
2023-01-14 22:35
0
1 reply
#51
 | 
Brazil _Awper
"he prob doesnt know what agro means" You probably never watched Jota play.
2023-01-15 07:48
0
#50
 | 
Brazil _Awper
Jota is NOTHING like Coldzera lol That player on mibr was exit
2023-01-15 07:47
0
-boltz+brnzan
2023-01-14 20:02
0
1 reply
would be nice
2023-01-14 20:23
0
#25
togs | 
Brazil hfdjk
2023-01-14 19:15
0
Cool
2023-01-14 17:58
0
Not bad
2023-01-14 17:59
0
Man this team might actually be quite decent this year
2023-01-14 18:00
0
5 replies
#12
donk | 
Argentina Aleeee
they wont even get to top 20 i assure you, the only br team that can achieve something is furia, sad but true
2023-01-14 18:25
0
4 replies
U are talking like that only because he left 9z haha
2023-01-14 18:32
0
1 reply
#17
donk | 
Argentina Aleeee
im not talking about zakk, this teams are nothing but a mix of players from the SA scene. If they really want to achieve something they need to start from scratch, like luminostity or furia did back then.
2023-01-14 18:41
0
#16
 | 
Norway Snaids
They'll somehow get to a challenger stage and therefore be around #16 for two weeks
2023-01-14 18:36
0
#23
 | 
Brazil ImReverx
9z lmao
2023-01-14 19:12
0
#7
 | 
Spain Shiloh
Nice
2023-01-14 18:01
0
Good addition
2023-01-14 18:05
0
#9
 | 
Brazil dio_scuro
this team is getting more decent
2023-01-14 18:10
0
Last dance kicks fer and fnx. At this point, its just a Fallen vanity project
2023-01-14 18:26
0
5 replies
Fer wasn't kicked, he decided to retire
2023-01-14 18:56
0
1 reply
but you're right to say isn't Last Dance anymore
2023-01-14 18:59
0
#41
 | 
Australia blprn0
Fer was never kicked. and Fallen is only staying on for another year to fulfill his responsibility to the players that joined him on his project.
2023-01-14 22:40
0
1 reply
I wish he would stay more. He being an igl surrounded with great players, like karrigan, could accomplish great things
2023-01-15 13:24
0
I think it was a vanity project since the first day.
2023-01-15 00:07
0
nice!
2023-01-14 18:37
0
#19
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
Fifflaren | 
Brazil matheuscoelho
Nice, Zakk is perhaps the best Brazilian coach in recent years, but he never got the recognition he deserved, I hope for success in the new job.
2023-01-14 18:54
0
2 replies
+1
2023-01-15 06:59
0
+1
2023-01-15 13:24
0
Good I can't wait to see they disbanding again GL
2023-01-14 19:29
0
#29
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Palestine sallati
GL zakkish
2023-01-14 19:50
0
Good for zakk, hoping Fallen doesn't kick him in less than 6 months.
2023-01-14 20:02
0
#34
 | 
United States w0lvesTF
Actually getting excited for Imperial
2023-01-14 20:05
0
imperial Paris major winners
2023-01-14 20:27
0
- boltz + lucaozy? top 10 for sure
2023-01-14 20:28
0
4 replies
+1
2023-01-14 22:25
0
+1 Truth
2023-01-15 03:03
0
Not the slimmest chance of that happening. Remember how much Fluxo payed for him?
2023-01-15 04:01
0
1 reply
let me dream
2023-01-15 16:27
0
#38
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Brazil hugoooo
Imperial changes have been very on point
2023-01-14 20:40
0
omg sorry
2023-01-15 01:39
0
2 replies
I made a confusion myself! Thought this was the fer post, lol
2023-01-15 01:40
0
1 reply
Wtf
2023-01-15 03:04
0
Welcome zakk goat
2023-01-15 03:02
0
#55
 | 
Ukraine Sneako
Good move
2023-01-15 17:49
0
#56
 | 
Kosovo miguelo
decent team
2023-01-16 16:47
0
So I guess fallen is going out too
2023-01-17 04:40
0
Login or register to add your comment to the discussion.

Back to comment

Now playing
Thumbnail for stream
Brazil
MADHOUSE TV
17891 viewers
Top streams
All(64)
Casters(45)
Streamers(12)
Organizers(7)
Brazil
MADHOUSE TV
(17891)
Brazil
gaules
(9964)
Other
PGL
(8165)
Brazil
gaules
(4778)
Other
Thunderpick
(3340)
Russia
Paragon
(2910)
Other
PGL 2
(2565)
Russia
watchfulTV
(2019)
Brazil
gaules
(1801)
Russia
watchfulTV B
(1445)
Argentina
forg1
(1212)
Brazil
boltz
(1099)
Russia
Paragon 3
(925)
Brazil
fer
(880)
Argentina
forg1
(877)
Russia
HappyChucky
(850)
Brazil
nak
(721)
Russia
poka
(697)
Ukraine
Maincast
(640)
Belgium
ScreaM
(588)
Poland
IzakOOO
(583)
United States
Trottah
(491)
United States
freakazoid
(479)
Russia
m4ga
(440)
Brazil
mch
(439)
United States
Stewie2k
(436)
Russia
Paragon 2
(421)
Romania
Werty
(421)
Russia
SBolt
(398)
Argentina
elmorocho7
(314)
Ukraine
Maincast 2
(273)
France
KRL
(235)
United Kingdom
ESL TV
(230)
United States
Trucklover86
(188)
Brazil
mch
(168)
Finland
pelaajat
(167)
Brazil
VitinhO
(156)
France
Croissant Strike
(146)
Mongolia
maaRaa
(139)
Brazil
kabrafps
(132)
Russia
jmqa
(128)
Brazil
XISTERA
(123)
Other
PGL
(118)
Mongolia
Zilkenberg
(107)
Brazil
coldzera
(89)
Brazil
Tris_Mara
(87)
Other
PGL 2
(69)
Russia
Paragon
(58)
Kazakhstan
Paragon
(58)
Brazil
gaules TV 2
(46)
Brazil
BTSBrasilTV
(38)
United States
Regent
(37)
Brazil
VilacaTTV
(35)
Brazil
Napa
(30)
France
KRL 2
(25)
Brazil
gaules TV
(25)
United States
Trottah
(25)
Finland
Elisa Esports
(13)
United States
iamfusiion
(12)
Ukraine
WOLF
(6)
Brazil
kabrafps
(5)
Ukraine
Maincast
(2)
Brazil
BTSBrasilFPS
(1)
Brazil
JokerBR (YouTube)
(1)