Spinx: "We're at the point where the goal is not just to qualify for playoffs"

"We're showing everyone we're a top-tier team," he said after the 2-0 victory against The MongolZ.

MOUZ have locked up a spot in the semi-final stage of IEM Melbourne following a 2-0 victory over The MongolZ, capping off a convincing group stage run that also included a 2-1 win over BIG and a two-map affair with GamerLegion.

The only blip was a 13-6 loss on Inferno in their first game of the tournament. It's one of the team's weakest maps, but Lotan "⁠Spinx⁠" Giladi is not too concerned.

"I think we're pretty good on it," Spinx told HLTV. "We just need to have the confidence, and I think the GamerLegion game has helped a bit with that. As for losing to BIG, it was our first official after some time. And the first official is a bit weird sometimes."

MOUZ are regarded as the No. 2 team in the world behind Vitality, who are on a massive 18-match win streak. After a five-map thriller in Lisbon between the two teams, Spinx has no doubt that the gap is closing.

"At the beginning, they just owned us," he said. "We were not even in the game. I would say they had it pretty easy. But in the end, we won some maps and we got closer and closer. So yeah, in my opinion, the gap is closing, and I'm just looking forward to the next time we face each other."

Read more in the interview below, or listen to it on Spotify.

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Spinx, it's the perfect group stage run for MOUZ, with victories over BIG, GamerLegion and now The MongolZ. Give me your thoughts on how the team has been playing so far.

We are playing well. We are super happy with our performances so far. We are in the semis again. First time for me in an Australian arena, so I'm super excited to play there. Just looking forward to it.

You looked a bit shaky on Inferno against BIG. Yesterday, you managed to beat GamerLegion on the map. What can you say about the mark you're putting into the map? Because it's clearly one of your weak spots right now.

We had a small losing streak on Inferno. We also got a 0-13 from Vitality in the grand final. So it's not our strongest map, but I don't think it's a weak map for us. I think we're pretty good on it. We just need to have the confidence, and I think the GamerLegion game has helped a bit with that. As for losing to BIG, it was our first official after some time. And the first official is a bit weird sometimes.

This has also been a very good tournament for you individually, with a 1.33 rating in the group stage. It seems you're getting better and better and more comfortable with each tournament with this lineup.

I guess I can say I'm adapting a bit to my role or to the team, but it's still only the group stage, and it's still only one tournament. I'm happy with how I'm playing, but right now the focus is on getting as far as possible in the tournaments.

 How important was it to go straight to the semifinals? Because that will give you an extra day to rest, an extra day to prepare, and also you will avoid facing Vitality in the semi-finals. If they win their match, of course.

So, we don't really think about, 'Oh, we avoid facing Vitality.' If we want to win the tournament, we have to face Vitality or whoever. So we don't think about it this way. But we are definitely happy that we're going straight to the semi-finals. We're showing everyone we're a top-tier team. We're beating everyone we face besides Vitality. And of course, we will have an extra day for preparation, rest, and whatever is needed.

 I wanted to ask about the rivalry with Vitality, your old team. You played two close games against them in Lisbon, the grand final went to five maps. Do you think the gap is closing?

Definitely. We have felt that every match we have played against them. We have felt that the gap is closing. At the beginning, they just owned us. We were not even in the game. I would say they had it pretty easy. But in the end, we won some maps and we got closer and closer. So yeah, in my opinion, the gap is closing, and I'm just looking forward to the next time we face each other.

 There's also the chance you'll face the new Falcons team in the playoffs. You beat them in Lisbon 2-0, and now they have this new superstar in m0NESY. What are your thoughts on them?

I think they will be pretty good. We've practiced against them just a bit. I think they're a pretty good team. I think they have a lot of good momentum at the moment. They also won the last tournament, and they got m0NESY, which I think is something they had wanted to do for some time. So I think they're going through a bit of a honeymoon at the moment. I don't know how they will be, but I think they'll be good. I think it will be really exciting to play against them.

You got the trophy in Cluj-Napoca a few months ago. Now, once again you're going to the playoffs. I guess the goal is to go all the way, right?

Yeah, of course. We are at the point where the goal is not just to qualify for the playoffs. The goal is to win the trophy. But at the same time, we go step by step. We have the semis to play now, and we are focused on it. But of course, as a team, we are here for the trophy. One hundred percent.