NertZ: "I believe that we can be better than Vitality in the close future"

After a stellar run of form that has seen ENCE win one tournament and reach three more grand finals, Guy "⁠NertZ⁠" Iluz is confident about his team's future.

ENCE arrive in Malta as sure-fire favorites to make the playoffs coming off the back of runners-up finishes at Gamers8, IEM Cologne, and ESL Challenger Katowice, as well as a win at IEM Dallas before the tournament break. The European combine have been on an impressive run of form as of late but remain shy of the status as best team in the world, with Vitality currently occupying the throne.

That grand final hurdle is something they need to find a way to consistently overcome, something which NertZ admitted in an interview with HLTV could have "some mental things behind it." He added that the team believe they know what the problem is and how to fix it, while also somewhat writing off the Cologne grand final by saying "when NiKo and m0NESY are feeling it, you can’t do anything about it."

Date	Matches
ESL Pro League Season 18
06/09/2023	Evil Geniuses 20:10 ENCE	Match

How are you feeling about your team’s performance at Gamers8?

I think all of us are proud of our result, I would say. We were showing good CS, I think the best CS in the tournament, until the grand final (laughs). It’s unfortunate we didn’t show it in the grand final, but I think we know how to fix it for the future.

I was going to talk about that grand final, as well as the one in Cologne. You couldn’t quite get over the line against Vitality or G2, what do you think you need to do to turn those grand finals into wins?

First I will talk about Cologne, then about Gamers8.

In Cologne against G2, we didn’t play our best through the whole event, but when NiKo and m0NESY are feeling it, you can’t do anything about it. I watched the game after, the POV, and m0NESY is flicking, NiKo is doing what he knows how to do, it was insane, they were just better than us.

Against Vitality, I will be honest I think we needed to win on Mirage. We started 1-0 and it needed to finish 2-0 on Mirage, after that they played better on Nuke, and it is what it is. We lost two anti-ecos on Mirage.

You started really well against Vitality in particular, but by the end of both series you seemed to run out of steam. Is there any mental or psychological reason behind that?

I believe there is some mental things behind it. We don’t know why it is happening, the reason, why we are like that. I feel like it is a luxury problem when we are going to four finals in a row and choking (laughs), but I believe that we know the problem and how to fix it.

Many people are saying you are the second-best team in the world right now, do you agree?

I completely agree. Vitality deserve the first spot, the top of the world, because they have great players honestly. Spinx, flameZ, ZywOo, apEX, Magisk, everyone as a piece is playing insane. I feel like right now we are playing high-level CS, and our goal right now is to win ESL Pro League to show that we can be the best team in the world.

Do you think you can take that No. 1 spot off of Vitality, do you have enough as a team to do it?

For sure I believe that we can be better than Vitality. We are always fixing, trying to fix some stuff that pops up inside and outside of the game, and I feel like this is… I feel like we are different in some sense from other teams. Every problem we have we are trying to fix as soon as possible, and I believe that we can be better than Vitality in the close future.

Obviously you have your countrymen, Spinx and flameZ, on Vitality. How does it feel to have Israeli players fighting to be the best in the world?

First of all, I am really happy that they are on top, I never expected five years ago that it would be like this. I think they push me to be the best as I can, because when I see Israeli players in the top team that will push me and push me, and it’s the fastest way to get to the top.

Rivalry with some of your mates helps?

Yeah!

As you said, you are targeting victory at ESL Pro League. Who do you think will be your biggest rivals for the trophy?

I will give respect to G2, I feel like they are playing really good, even in Gamers8 I think they should have won against Vitality. I think Vitality, obviously, and I would say maybe Astralis is one of the teams that could win ESL Pro League.

Are you impressed with the new Astralis then?

Yes, I see them smiling, and I feel like if device is feeling it, he can beat any team. I think device is one of the best players in the world right now.