KSCERATO: "We finally did it. It was a really tough journey since the Rio Major"

"I'm glad that we found a team to go to the playoffs at this Major," he added.

FURIA went undefeated in Stage 3 to reach the playoffs of the BLAST.tv Austin Major, beating Virtus.pro in the 2-0 pool to secure their first Major arena appearance since IEM Rio Major 2022.

"Oof (laughs), it's been a while, eh?" Kaike "⁠KSCERATO⁠" Cerato said in an interview with HLTV after the match.

It is the second playoffs for FURIA since their international pivot and the first Major playoffs for Danil "⁠molodoy⁠" Golubenko, but not one that the team expected to reach by going 3-0 through Stage 3.

"We know this stage is tough as fuck, there are a lot of teams here that are really good. Spirit, Vitality, FaZe, NAVI, Aurora, so we knew that it was going to be hard, but we also knew that it was possible."

Listen to the interview here.

---

Congratulations, you're back to the Major playoffs for the first time since Rio 2022. What does that mean to you?

Oof (laughs), it's been a while, eh? I'm really happy that we finally did it. It was a really tough journey since the Rio Major, a lot of stuff changed. I'm glad that we found a team to go to the playoffs at this Major.

As you said, a lot has changed, obviously you're international now. How are you finding that?

I'm feeling great. Actually, I'm feeling great in every lineup that we had before, but this lineup has something different. I dunno, I think it's the English, something like that.

There's the English, is there anything else you can point to that's so different, that's helped you make the playoffs here compared to the last Majors?

The main thing is... of course, English helps a lot because the callouts, all the strats, English is easier, simplified. It's kind of fine, and also Mareks [YEKINDAR] has a lot of impact in how we changed and with the positions that he plays as well. He's playing really well, he's coordinating everyone. molodoy is young, so he has the spirit that was missing for a young player. And me, FalleN, and yuurih, we're just dreaming (smiles).

Tell me more about what YEKINDAR is bringing, because he had that really down period in Liquid, was benched for a bit, and now he's back. What's he brought to the team in terms of atmosphere, and is he helping out with the strategies and whatnot as well?

It's more the vibes, to see different styles of playing because we never played with European people inside the team. He's bringing a lot of confidence as well, he's a confident player and he gives a lot of confidence for all of us.

Everyone is doing the job. It's not done yet, but we're going to do it soon. Me, FalleN, sidde, and YEKINDAR, we mainly support others on what plays they want to do in-game. We talk a lot about this stuff, and I'm glad we have this connection.

It's your second playoffs with molodoy, with this roster. A great start for you, and obviously in Dallas you had just come off the plane and had a rough time. What does it mean to you, to have this success so early on and after this change?

Actually, it's rare, huh? One month in the team and we're already in two playoffs. It's been a while, 200 days, something like that, since we had made playoffs before Astana, so I'm really happy that molodoy can live that. Back then, I used to live that, so I know the feeling. So he's confident, that's good for him, and now the playoffs of Major, the fucking trophy in the inventory, so for him it will be insane. I'm glad that he's living that, and I'm happy, happy for him and for everyone.

yuurih had a really good map on Mirage, it was actually the fourth-best LAN map of his career. He mentioned last time we talked to him that he's changed a lot of his roles, there has been a lot of changes in the team for him. What has it been like for you, in terms of how he has shifted but also for you personally in terms of any changes you've made?

I've played a lot of positions in FURIA already. I was the AWPer, I was the anchor, captain, IGL, so for me it's fine. I'm glad he's doing that well, and he's working a lot to get the job done. I'm glad for him that he's back in shape.

YEKINDAR has mentioned that maybe this is the place he'll stay, or that he wants to stay. Do you know anything about the future, what will happen with that, or is it just taking it step by step?

As they say bro, once you get to Brazil, you never want to leave it. But I don't know.

This is molodoy's first Major playoffs, a big moment for him. FalleN had mentioned he needs more games at tier-one, he needs more games under pressure. How are you seeing his development in some of the games he's playing now?

He's playing really good. He's young, so he makes some mistakes often, but he's young. We cannot blame him because once, back then, it was me, and it was FalleN. Everyone has to pass these mistakes to be a great player. I'm glad that he's doing well.

The playoffs are the more important part because we're playing on stage, in a stadium, with a crowd and all this stuff. I'm glad that he played his first playoffs in Astana, in his home, so a lot of pressure. And now in Austin, we're going to do it, get the job done.

I heard FalleN mentioning yesterday, 'When I was the AWPer I was throwing flashes, not getting kills, molodoy is getting kills.' How has the dynamic been with FalleN shifting to rifling and how has the atmosphere changed?

It's actually kind of cool. Since FalleN started on the team, I was telling him, 'FalleN give me the AWP, give me the AWP.' He finally did it, but not to me, unfortunately (laughs). My dream was to be an AWPer, but my friends and my brother never let me be one.

FalleN is doing a good job, he's a good rifler to be honest. He shifted his mindset a lot, like sometimes he's doing a lot of support, but when he is entrying he knows the timings, he knows what he needs to do, jump, die for me, he knows all this stuff. It's really important for him to be an IGL and rifle at the same time.

Do you feel like you've finally found the solution you were looking for, for so long? Brazilian buyouts were really high and it was hard to find a roster for you to move forward with, is this it now?

Yeah, I think we're going step by step. I cannot tell about the future, but I'm really glad we're doing the present right now. The future leads to the future KSCERATO.

And the future for you right now, 3-0, did you expect to go 3-0 in this stage coming into it?

Honestly, not really bro. We know this stage is tough as fuck, there are a lot of teams here that are really good. Spirit, Vitality, FaZe, NAVI, Aurora, so we knew that it was going to be hard, but we also knew that it was possible. So 50/50 (laughs).

That being said, you're in the playoffs, so how are you feeling about going to the stage in Austin and playing in front of the American crowd? Getting FURIA the chance in the Major playoffs, since last time ended in heartbreak in Rio, now is it a chance for redemption?

Don't [remind me] of that bro (laughs). I've always dreamed about playing in the US, actually at IEM New York I've dreamed of playing there with a US crowd and all this stuff. We've played Dallas, but this one is the Major, so it's probably going to be bigger.

I'm happy, now it's time to use this time to have your mentality right because the stage is a lot of pressure, so we have to be confident, and at the same place, not so confident. So it's good for us to have this break right now to watch their games and study all the stuff, bring more stuff, and play really well on the stage.